Owned
by TwilightDarkness82
Summary: Good has not triumphed over evil. After losing a very damaging battle, Hermione is gifted, by the Dark Lord, to none other than Severus Snape. What is the greasy bat of the dungeons to do with a bushy-haired know-it-all slave? SS/HG
1. Chapter 1: Possessions Unwanted

_Author's Note: A long long time ago, I can still remember when, I used to write fanfiction. And I wrote a story called _Owned_. It's 46 chapters long, and it's a dark and smutty (but I'd like to think also beautiful) ride through a Dominant/submissive relationship between the great and powerful Severus Snape and the ever eager to please Hermione Granger. I had it posted here several years ago, and then I decided to take a break from fanfiction to write some original works. Over those years, quite a few of you have kept in touch, and I've always been grateful to have such wonderful friends in the community. Occasionally someone will still ask about this story, and I've felt guilty about keeping it to myself while there are people who would still like to read it. So, I'm going to re-post it. _

_I'd like to think that my writing has improved since the first draft of this tale, so the version I'm posting now will be new and improved. I'm going to try to commit to posting two chapters a week because I think that'll be good exercise for me._

_I'd love to hear from you, if you're reading this story for the first time, or if you're and old friend. Like they say, there's no place like home. _

**SPOV**

"Ssseverus?"

I looked up into the red eyes of my master, the psychopath who would rule the world now that the great Harry Potter had failed. I couldn't say that I was surprised. The boy had always been a dunderhead.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"The mudblood is yours. I know you've always wanted to teach her a lesson. Now is your chance."

I raked my eyes over the broken form of Hermione Granger, my former student, best friend of the boy-who-foolishly-got-himself-captured, owner of the most brilliant mind in a century. I hated her. I hated her with everything that I was, because she was everything that I would never be: innocent, loyal, beautiful.

"Thank you, my Lord."

He moved on to the next of his faithful followers, handing out spoils of war as rewards. He had gifted me thus far with two houses that I had no use for, fortunes that I didn't need, a female House-Elf named Tink (of all the dreadful things) and one small bushy-haired know it all. I was well and truly buggerd. There was, of course, no refusing a gift from him. I would have to find a use for it all, or somewhere to dump it.

When he was finished, he dismissed us, and we went our separate ways.

"Tink," I commanded. "Come, and bring the girl."

She obeyed me, levitating the still unconscious Granger girl until we were outside of the Dark Lord's strong hold.

"Do you know where my manor is?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good, bring her with you." I turned on the spot and Apparated to my home. Tink appeared in my kitchen a moment later with the girl.

"How badly is she injured?"

"Miss has been cursed. Miss's wrist is broken. Miss was hit in the head."

"Are you capable of healing her and setting her right?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good. Tend to her, and get her cleaned up. When you are done, put her in the first spare bedroom, the one next to mine. Lock her in."

"Yes, Master," she squeaked again before winking out of sight. At least she was an obedient little thing. It was too much to hope that Miss Granger would be the same.

I retired to my own room, shedding my filthy clothes as I went. I flung every stitch into the fireplace on my way past. They were torn and bloodied beyond repair.

I lowered my head to the cold shower wall and let the warm water cascade down my back. A couple of minor injuries stung as the cleansing spray hit them, so I retrieved my wand from its place on the sink and haphazardly closed the open wounds. I was starving and exhausted. I wanted something warm to eat, and then I intended to pass out for at least twelve hours.

I stepped out of the shower and dressed in a comfortable pair of black cotton pants and a black t-shirt. I would never be caught dead in them outside of my home, but I had to admit that muggles did make incredibly comfortable clothes.

Padding back down the hall to the kitchen, I check the door to Miss Granger's room. It was closed and warded. Tink had used a simple spell, but I doubted that the girl could undo it without her wand. She was smart, but she was only a seventh year, and her wand-less skills were unlikely to be sufficient.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a hearty meal of roast beef, potatoes, and green beans already begun in the kitchen. I would have settled for canned soup, warmed with a heating charm. This would take longer, but my stomach thought it was worth the wait. Judging from the smell, she was also baking fresh bread. Maybe this House-Elf thing wouldn't be so bad after all. I wondered where she had gotten the food. I was certain that it had not been in the house.

"Tink is sorry that dinner is late, Master," she said. Her voice trembled with terror. "Tink will punish herself..."

"No. I forbid you from punishing yourself. You have only been here for twenty minutes, and I told you to attend to the Granger girl. I did not expect you to also make dinner," I said. "I am not accustomed to having a House-Elf. I forgot to leave instructions. Where did you get the food?"

She levitated a mixed-greens salad as I spoke and set it by my place at the table. "Tink ordered it from Mr. Clark by floo."

Mr. Clark was the old wizard who owned the grocery across town. I did not have an account set up with him, nor with any grocer. "How did you pay for it?"

The tiny elf suddenly looked very ashamed. "Tink had money from her old mistresses purse. Tink knows she should have turned it over. Tink didn't know how else to buy food for Master." She lifted a rolling pin that she must have dug out of some forgotten cupboard, and began to beat herself over the head with it.

"Stop it," I commanded. She ceased immediately. "You will refrain from punishing yourself at all times. I find it an absurd practice, and I will not tolerate it in this house. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I will open an account with Mr. Clark so that you may shop there as you please. You may keep the remainder of the money that you have. Spend it as you like."

"Oh no. Tink can't do that."

"I just told you that you could. Don't argue with me." I had forgotten how infuriating dealing with a House-Elf could be. Of course it had its up side too, as evidenced by the perfectly cooked meal that was now in front of me. She was quick.

I over did it. The food was excellent, and it had been quiet some time since I'd had a homemade meal. I peeked into Granger's room on my way to my own. Her unruly mop of hair was visible above the blanket. She was still asleep. Tink assured me that she was conscious, just exhausted. I left her with instructions to feed the girl, as needed, and let her rest.

I tumbled into bed and slept dreamlessly.

**HPOV**

_Oh God, my head hurts._ I rolled over, and my stomach turned. I fought back to urge to vomit.

"Miss is awake?" A tiny House-Elf popped into view. I did not recognize her. _Where am I?_

"Miss needs to drink this." She held a vile of yellow liquid out to me. It looked like a general healing potion. It should fix the sour stomach and the headache. I uncorked it and sniffed. It was as I thought. I drank it down gratefully, and the relief from it was instantaneous. I was still tired, but the aching was dissolving into nothingness.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Snape Manor, Miss."

"Snape? As in Professor Severus Snape?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Is he here?"

"Master is asleep."

_What on earth happened?_ I slowly took in my surroundings. The bed was soft and warm. A thick white duvet covered me. There was a small fire burning in the fireplace, but otherwise the room was dark. I couldn't see anything. I tried to stand, but was immediately dizzy, so I sat back down.

"What is your name?" I asked the elf.

"I is Tink, Miss."

"I'm Hermione."

"Miss should go back to sleep."

I blinked a few times. I was still very tired, but I was also hungry, and I had a burning need to know what was going on.

"How long have you served Professor Snape?"

"Same as you. Six hours. Now to sleep."

"Same as me? What do you mean?"

"Tink means nothing, Miss. Sleep." As the House-Elf disappeared, I began to wonder if I had simply imagined her all together. My eyelids closed of their own accord, and I realized that the healing potion must have also contained a sleeping aid. I had barely enough time to wonder why I hadn't smelled it before the darkness overtook me.

My dreams were filled with vivid wand fire. Curses and hexes were being thrown from all sides. Harry, Ron, and I were fighting back to back as the crowd of death eaters closed in around us. I threw up shield after shield, firing return curses around them, but I simply couldn't keep up.

I shot straight up in bed, my nightgown damp with sweat, and my heart pounding in my rib cage. A gentle morning light now poured in through the windows of a room that looked vaguely familiar. I rested on my elbows and tried to calm my breathing.

To my left was a door that I assumed lead to the loo. I stood, my bare feet cold against the hardwood floor, and made my way to it. I felt as if I'd been digested by a dung beetle. I looked in the bathroom mirror. There was a long gash on the left side of my forehead. It had been tended, but the cut would take a while to fully heal. It might even scar. Someone had clearly bathed and changed me. The long nightshirt that I wore was clearly not my own. I had a distant memory of an encounter with a House-Elf, but I was unsure if it was dream or reality.

I used the toilet, washed my face, and then made my way through the bedroom. I tried the door. It had been warded, but the ward was not strong. I reached automatically for my wand, but could not find it. I searched the nightstand. I had no pockets. No such luck.

My wand-less magic was pretty good. Under normal circumstances, I thought I could get through the door easily. I was tired and hungry right now though, which would make it less likely. There was also the matter of what might be on the other side of the door. What if I had been locked in for my own safety? Without my wand, I was nearly defenseless. I didn't like that feeling at all. It might be best to stay put until someone came for me.

I returned to the bed and sat on the edge. I tried to remember what had happened. I knew that it couldn't have been good. Harry, Ron, and I had been walking to Hogsmeade to do some Christmas shopping and I remembered being attacked by Death Eaters, but it all became blurry after that.

I tried to chase away the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Where were Harry and Ron?

The smell of breakfast made its way down the hall, pulling me from my musing. I was famished. My grumbling stomach eventually made up my mind for me. I stood in front of the door, closed my eyes and concentrated on the wand-less spell. A moment later, much to my satisfaction, the door clicked open.

I stuck my head out into the hallway. It was empty. I went in the direction of the wonderful smell. I found the kitchen easily, and I had clearly not dreamed the House-Elf, as she was now scurrying around the kitchen seeing to breakfast.

The Professor himself sat with his head bowed over the Daily Prophet. He looked up, sensing my presence. "Miss Granger, good of you to join us. I see you've managed to escape from your room."

The elf spun around very quickly, her eyes wide with fright. "Oh noes, Sir," she said. "I is warding Miss's door like a good elf. I do not knows how she got out. I is not giving Miss her wand."

"It's okay Tink," he answered, "Miss Granger apparently paid more attention to her wand-less spells than I had originally assumed. I'll not under estimate her again." He looked directly at me as he said the last sentence, his black eyes cold and calculating. Apparently, I should have stayed in my room.

"Sit down, Granger, and stop gaping like a cod-fish."

I sat down. "Sir? Why am I here?"


	2. Chapter 2: The First Step

_Author's Note: Thank you for such a warm welcome back. You guys are the best._

**SPOV**

"You are here, Miss Granger, because the Dark Lord gave you to me." I studied her expression. It was clear that the truth of my words was not truly reaching her. She should have been in hysterics. I wondered just how much she remembered from yesterday; it couldn't be very much.

"That doesn't make any sense, Professor..."

"It makes perfect sense, you stupid girl. You and your idiot friends were attacked by Death Eaters. You lost. The Dark Lord won, and as one of his faithful followers, he gifted you to me. You belong to me."

"I mean no disrespect, Professor," she returned, "but are you feeling ill? It is not possible for a person to belong to another person. Even the American muggles abolished slavery with the emancipation proc—"

"Silence!" I dropped my fist loudly on the table in front of her. She needed to understand this _now_.

She stilled and looked up at me with confused, wide, brown eyes. Tink placed a plate in front of her, but it seemed as if the food didn't even register in her focused brain.

"You will eat, Miss Granger, and then we will discuss what I am going to do with you." I turned my attention to my own plate. After a moment my words must have finally sunk in because her breath hitched and tears filled her eyes. _For the love of Merlin, I do not need to deal with this shit this morning._

"Miss Granger, you will cease that obnoxious sniffling at once or you will finish your breakfast in your room alone."

She stood and ran from the room, leaving her untouched breakfast on the table.

_Well, that went well. _

I hadn't the foggiest idea of how to comfort the girl, and truthfully I had more pressing matters to attend to. The Dark Lord would expect me to have his brewing complete, regardless of the mental state of the slave that he had bestowed upon me. At least she was intelligent and could be of some use in preparing ingredients. I frowned at her uneaten breakfast. I didn't think that one missed meal would kill her, but she was going to need to regain her strength. I pushed away from my own half eaten breakfast and made my way to the dungeon where my personal laboratory was. I reviewed the list of what needed to be done and set to work.

I fell into the comforting rhythm that came with repetitive potion making. It was really quite soothing; the steady beat of the knife against the counter, the calculated stirring patterns. You added the correct ingredients in precise quantities, followed the correct instructions, and would every time achieve a satisfying result. It was so much better than dealing with people.

I was extremely irritated when, less than an hour later, my wards alerted me that I had a visitor. I stabilized the potion that I was working on and went up to see about the intrusion. While working for the Dark Lord there was always some kind of an interruption. The man had no attention span whatsoever. It was a wonder that I accomplished anything for him at all.

Wormtail was standing at the door shifting his weight from foot to foot like the overgrown twitchy rat that he was. I was amazed that Nagini hadn't eaten him yet. The temptation must have been strong. I flung the door open.

"What is it?"

"The Dark Lord would like to see you this afternoon, with the girl, assuming she is still alive, of course."

"Fine. Anything else?"

"That will be all."

I slammed the door in his face and went back to my potions. He wanted me to bring the girl. No good could possibly come of that. I formulated a plan in my head as I worked. She would hate me for it, but of course she already hated me so I didn't see much harm in agitating her further. I would do what I needed to do to protect her, regardless of how she might feel about such a thing. That was the problem with people. They always thought that their emotions should somehow effect their actions. How completely illogical.

"Tink," I called aloud.

"Yes, Sir. How can Tink help, Sir?"

"I need for you to see to Miss Granger. Please see that she is bathed and properly dressed. We will have lunch together, and then she will be leaving the house with me."

The elf winked out of sight, and I put the heavy lid over my number three pewter cauldron. I needed to get myself ready as well.

When she came in for lunch her eyes were still red-rimmed from crying, and although Tink had managed to get her dressed as I had asked, her hair was an even bushier mess than usual. I thought over my plan. I was making the right decisions. The girl was not capable of rational thought in this state, and she could be of no use to me.

"Sit down, Miss Granger," I commanded, "You need to eat, and there are things that we need to discuss." She sat down but did not respond to me.

Tink had prepared a wonderful looking stew for lunch with fresh baked bread. I was enjoying the house elf decidedly more than I would have thought. I tucked in.

"Eat, Miss Granger!"

"I'm not hungry, Sir," her voice was small and broken. I ignored the small pang that I felt hearing it. Now was not the time for weakness.

"I don't care, Miss Granger. You will eat anyway. Would you prefer that I gave you an apatite enhancer?"

"No, Sir." She picked up her spoon and took a very small bite. "Sir?"

"What?"

"Harry and Ron... did they... are they..."

"Spit it out, Girl." She was usually so articulate. I hoped she hadn't been hit about the head too hard.

"Are Harry and Ron still alive, Sir?"

"To the best of my knowledge they are. The Dark Lord intended to keep and torture them for a while before disposing of them. I don't know where they are at present."

She paled. _Perhaps I should have been a bit more diplomatic with that information._

"It's none of your concern, Miss Granger. You have other things that you need to be focused on at present. The Dark Lord has requested that I bring you with me this afternoon. We will be leaving directly after lunch. Now eat."

She did manage to eat more than she had at breakfast, but not by much. I was glad that I had laced both her food and tea with the potion as she hardly consumed enough of it for it to work.

**HPOV**

_Is it getting warm in here?_

I had thought that Professor Snape's house was on the chilly side, but now I was feeling quite flushed. I wondered if I was ill. I really had been feeling fine, although emotionally drained, all day. I was trying not to speak because I knew how he disliked my chatter, but I had so many questions and so much to process.

I had been wondering most of the day if my friends were now dead. Most of memory had returned, and I knew the battle had not gone well for us. I remembered being hit with a very hard stunner, and then nothing, until I woke in Snape's manor.

At least they weren't dead, but being tortured by Voldemort himself was far from pleasant. I was going to have to stop mourning and work out a plan to rescue them. If they weren't dead, then there was still hope.

I considered the man in front of me. If anyone could rescue my friends it was he. Professor Snape was not an easy man to deal with by any means, but I knew that there was good in him. He had fought for the side of the light when Dumbledore was alive, and although he had caused the headmaster's death, I knew enough to know that he was not fully at fault. Dumbledore trusted him and so would I, at least as far as he'd let me.

I didn't understand everything, which was maddening, but I was quite sure that it was not his intention to harm me. If he had really wanted to, he'd have done it by now instead of getting Tink to heal me and insisting that I eat.

I took a sip of my tea and watched him. Had his hands always been so graceful?

_What? Where did that come from?_ I forced some stew into my mouth. I would need my strength, if I were going to rescue Harry and Ron. I needed to get back to full health.

_What smells so good? Is that his cologne? _

I found myself leaning across the table to get a better sniff. _Stop it! What is wrong with you?_

How had I never noticed his chiseled jaw line? He features were so strong and distinct. I wanted very badly to press my lips to the skin below his ear... _What!_

"You drugged me," I finally managed. It was the only answer: a lust potion. It had to be.

"Very good, Miss Granger," he answered, completely unfazed. God, his voice was like liquid sex. _Please say something else. _"Can you tell me what it was?"

"A lust potion," I sniffed my tea. It didn't have a smell, that ruled out most of them. "Mid strength, no smell; I can't tell if it has a color; and as there is no one else here, I can't tell if it attracts me to you specifically or simply arouses me in general. I'd guess it was Expeto Orexis the Creation of Desire potion."

"You're very close. It's my own personal variation, but you have the correct base."

His voice was so distracting. I couldn't think.

"Why?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer or if I only asked to hear him speak again. I forced my hands into my lap so that I wouldn't be as tempted to touch him.

"The Dark Lord asked for you. There are only three reasons why he would do that. One, he wants to torture you. Two, he wants me to torture you in front of him. Or, three, he wants me to have sex with you, and he wants to watch. I assume that the other members of The Order of the Phoenix would have kept his voyeuristic tendencies a secret from you, but you're about to witness them first hand."

I blanched. He was going to rape and torture me. Of course right now, my body was surprisingly thrilled by the idea, but I had enough sense still in my head to know that I was not really consenting.

_Oh, but the though of his hands on my bare skin…_ _Knock it off!_

"The potion that I gave you is a modified version of a lust potion. If he chooses one of the first two options, and you are to be tortured, your mind will interpret the pain as pleasure. All physical sensations caused by another person will be interpreted as pleasure. I thought that you would find it preferable to agony."

Oh God. I was trying to process the information that he was giving me logically, but my body was distracting me. I could feel the wetness in my knickers and the increased heart rate. I needed for him to touch me.

"It's preferable for me as well. For one, the Dark Lord will assume that I drugged you for my own personal pleasure. As he gave you to me as a living sex toy, it would be wise of me to make use of his gift. I do typically prefer the women that I fuck to be willing. And, it will also make things easier for me in a physical sense should he choose the third option. Are you a virgin, Miss Granger?"

I blushed against my will. I didn't want to answer him, but the potion was compelling me to obey him. I wanted whatever he wanted. I let out a small moan before replying that I was indeed a virgin.

He simply nodded his head and wiped the remainder of the stew from his bowl with a piece of bread.

"Tink, get Miss Granger's cloak. We need to be on our way."

The House-Elf returned a moment later with a long black cloak. I had never seen it before, but I couldn't concentrate well enough to wonder where she'd gotten it. Professor Snape held it out for me, and I went eagerly to him.

His fingers brushed my shoulders as he placed it on me, over the thin cotton of my white school blouse. I couldn't help it. I turned to face him, throwing my arms around his neck and pressing my body fully against his. My nipples hardened instantly, and I gasped at the contact. The heat from his body was exquisite.

He gripped my arms, over the heavier material of the cloak and pushed me back. My head cleared slightly with a little more distance between us.

"Please, try to control yourself, Miss Granger."

I blushed, and fought with every once of control that I had. I'd never survive this.

"Let's go," he said.


	3. Chapter 3: Unnatural Desire

_Author's Note: Sometimes, as a writer, you forget what you've written and it comes back as a surprise to you when you read it years later. This book is continuing to surprise me, and I'm getting through it faster that I'd expected, because I'd really like to know what happens. Lol. So, I'll hopefully be able to update pretty quickly. _

_I didn't do a great job of disclaimers at the beginning, so I'll share them now. This gets violent, and it gets very sexual. Both start here in this chapter, but this is only the beginning. Please read with caution. This story is for adults only. _

_As with all fanfiction, I don't own these characters, but I love them, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to explore them. _

_Thank you for your reviews. They mean the world to me. _

**Chapter 3**

As I dragged the Granger girl behind me into the Dark Lord's stronghold, I was struck by an overwhelming sense of oppression. The whole world was his stronghold now and that was a terrible thing. I'd served a lot of masters in my day, but this one was particularly troublesome. Not so much as Albus had been, but very nearly as bad.

I dropped to one knee in front of the despot pulling the bushy-haired-know-it-all down beside me. She gasped when her knees made a hard impact on the floor. I had taken the same potion myself on previous occasions. I knew that the sharp pain that she should have felt, when meeting with the cement floor, probably felt like a jolt of fire to her quim instead. She'd be doing more than gasping soon.

"How may I serve you, My Lord?"_ I get so sick of asking that question._

"Sssstand up Ssseverus." I stood, leaving the girl cowering on the floor. "I thought I'd see how you were coming along with your new pet. I must sssay, I'm ssurprised at her condition. I expected her to be bloodier by now."

"I prefer them to be mended before I break them, My Lord."

He didn't respond but gave me a rather disapproving look. All I wanted in that moment was to go home and rest with a good book and a cup of tea. I was beginning to feel responsible for the idiotic girl, and as always, I was obligated to obey the crazy fucker's orders. Would my life never be simple?

"What did you give her Ssseverus? Sshe looks like a bitch in heat."

"I wanted to try out a potion. She's acting as my lab rat. If it works properly, which I'm quite sure it will, she'll be begging me to fuck her soon."

The Dark Lord smiled, which was enough to make me consider vomiting on the cobblestone.

"I'd like to sssee that." _Of course you would, you crazy son of a bitch. Why do you think I gave her the damn potion?_

I was once again very thankful for my ability to keep my thoughts in my own head. It seemed to be the only safe refuge that I had remaining.

"Girl," I called. She looked up at me from the floor. Her breathing was labored. "Get up."

She stood. I produced my wand and easily transfigured a forgotten chair into a simple whipping bench. There was no point in putting it off any longer. It wasn't as if either of us had a choice.

"Strip," I commanded. She didn't move. It was obvious that she had no grasp on how serious the situation really was. How had I ever imagined her to be intelligent?

"I can't, Sir..."

"Silence!" I waved my wand at her, vanishing her clothes for her._ If you want something done right..._

"Bend over the bench. Now!"

She meekly tried to cover herself from my gaze, but it wasn't as it if it would make any difference. We were about to become far more intimately acquainted. After a moment, I was surprised to see her comply with my command. Perhaps she was beginning to understand after all.

It disgusted me to sense my own arousal as she spread her legs slightly and bent over the bench. She was young with smooth skin and gentle curves. She was untouched and beautiful. It was both horrible and exciting to see her in that position, waiting for me to deliver her to her fate. To have such power over another human being...

I pushed my thoughts away. I had no time to dwell on the moral implications of such actions. I was damned to Hell anyway. What would a few more unforgivable actions matter at this point? It was in her best interest anyway, if she wanted to remain alive.

I flicked my wrist, binding her effortlessly to the padded leather box with a set of silk restraints. It could have been a steel table for all she would care, but I saw no need for her to sustain more physical damage than necessary. She may not feel pain, but that would not erase the fact that her body would take the punishment. If I scared her, those scars would remain.

If I were lucky, I'd get off with a simple whipping. I could take her home and administer the antidote. If I were unlucky, we'd be here for hours. The Dark Lord was fond of endurance potions—my dick not so much. It was amazing how painful a sustained erection could be.

"How can I please you, My Lord?"

He produced a long whip with a single tail. He saw no need to start her off easy. It was lucky for her that I was skilled with such an instrument. Her body would take a considerable amount of punishment otherwise. I cracked it once against the ground, familiarizing myself with the length and weight, and adding a dramatic flair. The girl flinched at the sound, and I rolled my eyes. Women were so easily startled.

I took a deep breath, drew back and threw. She screamed as the tail landed perfectly on the curve of her ass. I couldn't help my smirk. I was enjoying this far more than I should be. She had a faint pink line where the leather had struck her. I had a little more room to add force before it would brake the skin.

I hit her again, this time on the other side. I could smell her arousal already. I made it as dramatic as I could, pausing between strokes, cracking the whip loudly. This was a performance after all. She did indeed beg, starting after the sixth stroke. She begged me to continue, to release her, to fuck her, to let her go. Every time she opened her mouth my cock throbbed in my pants.

She had her first orgasm on the twelfth stroke. Her hips bucked wildly against the bench, and her moans reverberated through the stone chamber. Her pussy lips were glistening, pink, and swollen. I fought very hard against the urge to drop my pants and bury myself in her wet heat. I didn't want to enjoy this, but I couldn't deny the physical response that I had to her. I wouldn't given into it, but I wouldn't lie to myself about it either.

I didn't allow her a rest as she came down from her peak. If I had to be miserably uncomfortable, I preferred to take her with me. Around stroke fifteen, Bellatrix showed up. She was in her usual half-dressed state, no doubt summoned by the Dark Lord who probably had his own raging erection. He was oddly particular about women that he would fuck. Watching me fuck a mudblood would make him hard, but he'd never even think about touching her himself.

Bella crossed the room silently and knelt before him. She never got back up. I didn't want to watch.

I turned my attention back to my former student who was, by my best guest, about two swats away from her second orgasm. Her ass and thighs were flushed pink, and she was practically vibrating with need. If it had been a softer instrument, I would have given her a direct blow to the cunt to push her over, but I had no desire to truly harm her. When she screamed her second release, the Dark Lord also groaned his, spilling his seed into Bella's eager mouth. It had taken less then three minutes.

"Enough, Severus," he growled. "Get out."

I was more than happy to comply. I returned the whip to him, vanished the girl's restraints, and pulled her trembling form into my arms. I doubted that she would be able to walk on her own. Her legs probably felt like muggle Jell-O.

She clung to my shoulders, with her head against my neck, as I cradled her. She was lighter than I expected her to be, and her warm body felt exquisite against mine. I didn't bother dressing her. With her heightened arousal, the feel of clothes against her skin would probably be nearly unbearable for her anyway. I carried her as far as the door, and then turned and Apparated both of us home.

I tried desperately to ignore her as she pressed her naked breasts against me. She sucked desperately at the skin below my ear, occasionally running her tongue over my pulse point. She was unconsciously trying to rub herself to orgasm against my form. I refused to look at the way her pink-tipped breasts showed the evidence of her arousal. I refused to feel the unnervingly sensual pressure of her lips.

I wanted to chastise her for her behavior, but I knew it would do little good. I hated the way I wanted her. I carried her down the stairs to my lab where I had the potion that would stop this madness.

She belonged to me. There was no one to stop me from taking her pebbled nipple into my mouth. No one to tell me that I couldn't sink balls deep into her waiting cunt. I was very close to loosing control. She'd begun her mindless begging again, and it took every ounce of my will to ignore it.

"Please, Sir. More, Sir. Please touch me. Please fuck me."

I had to balance her against my hip in order to unlock the door to my lab. My wand was in the pocket of my robe and as I reached for it, I inadvertently brushed my hand against the naked skin at her thigh. She moaned and fell apart in my arms. A string of curses left my mouth as I tried not to be effected by the young woman orgasming almost violently in my arms.

I had the wards nearly removed when she did the one thing I hadn't expected. She good a good fist full of my hair, pulled my head back and pressed her lips hard against mine. I opened my mouth in shock and felt the gentle brush of her tongue against my lips before my mouth was flooded with her sweet taste. It had been so long since I felt the kiss of a woman. I groaned against my will. _Merlin, make it stop!_

I nearly dropped her in my desperation to get away from her. I settled for setting her on the floor and wrenching myself away. I undid the rest of the wards quickly and slipped into the lab, slamming the door shut between us. It was unfair to leave her without the antidote, but I couldn't help it. I was desperate with need. I dropped the fly of my trousers, my robes up around my hips and took my aching cock in my fist. I pumped three times and spilled a massive amount of hot semen into my hand. I stood panting against the door for a full minute before I was able to regain my senses.

I could hear her on the other side of the door, still begging softly. I closed my eyes and forced myself back into control. I cleaned up with my wand and returned my clothes to their proper state. I crossed the room and unlocked the cabinet, removing a vial of red liquid.

She stumbled desperately into the lab, when I opened the door. I had the potion poured down her throat in a matter of seconds. The change in her was nearly instantaneous. She went from desperate begging to utter mortification. I was beyond relieved when she fled the room.


	4. Chapter 4: The Awkward Reunion

**Chapter 4: The Awkward Reunion  
**

I was beyond mortified. This couldn't be happening. It was not possible that I had just begged like a wanton slut for my professor to have sex with me. I respected him. I valued his knowledge. I did not want to fuck him.

I found my way to my room and threw myself on the bed, the door slamming shut in my wake. I felt like my hormones were completely out of control. I knew that it was probably just the after effects of the potion and its antidote, but logic was escaping me for the time being. I felt like I had no control over my own body. I was feverish and shivering at the same time. I wanted both to hide myself from him and to fling myself back into his arms, to feel his comforting embrace. I closed my eyes and prayed for the strength to survive this.

I woke some time later feeling groggy and exhausted. I was still naked in my bed, but had somehow managed to get under the covers. I rolled over onto my back and winced at the pain in my backside. I had felt nothing but pleasure as my Professor had whipped me, but it hurt like hell now. The light had faded from the window once again, and I knew it was evening. I was hungry again, but I was dreading having to face him. I wondered if Tink would be willing to bring something to my room. I needed to eat, but I seemed to be losing my appetite regukarly.

"Tink?" I inquired softly. She popped into the room a moment later.

"Miss called?"

"How are you?"

"Tink is well, Miss."

"Do you think that you could bring me something to eat? I'm not ready to see Professor Snape just yet."

"The Master is out, Miss," she replied.

"Out where?"

"Tink does not know. He says keep Miss in the house and out of trouble. You is staying out of trouble."

I smiled. Keep me in the house and out of trouble, huh? Well I don't know where he thought I would try to go. I had no wand, so I couldn't Apparate, and even if I could, I had nowhere to escape. The truth was, if Harry and Ron were in the Dark Lord's dungeons, and Hogwarts was being run by Death Eaters, then the safest place in the world for me was probably right here. Professor Snape had an uncanny ability to stay alive, no matter the circumstances. If I stuck with him, my odds for survival were dramatically increased.

I wasn't sure exactly whose side he was on, probably his own, but if he truly wished ill of me he would have behaved very differently earlier today. He had ample opportunity to rape, beat, or even murder me, and he'd chosen to do nothing but ensure my survival and spare my pain. If I looked at this logically, I could only see him as my ally. I owed him my life.

"I don't plan to get into any trouble, Tink, but I am a bit hungry. Perhaps we could go down to the kitchen?"

I felt much better after a cup of tea and a warm meal. I had to sit rather awkwardly on my knees to avoid putting pressure on my sore behind, but I managed. A simple cushioning charm would have been far more effective, and I found myself once again longing for my wand.

When I'd finished eating, and the Professor had still not returned, I decided to explore the house. I could not leave, and I had limited abilities without my wand, but that didn't make me completely helpless. I grew more determined with every passing hour that I should find a way to rescue my friends and return the world to its proper order. With Professor Snape's help, and whoever else remained of the Order of the Phoenix, I was sure that we could overcome.

Snape's manor was quite large, but the layout was simple enough. It was three floors, the bedrooms and full bathrooms on the highest level, the kitchen, living areas, and dinning room on the main floor, and a basement full of locked and heavily warded doors. It had five currently visible fireplaces, two of which had floo powder on the mantle, but the floos had been warded shut. There were three doors to the outside, all of which were also warded, as were the numerous windows. It was hard to tell in the dark what lay outside the house, but it was quiet and felt remote.

Many of the rooms looked as though they hadn't been used in years. I got the impression that Professor Snape rarely had overnight guests, as the bedrooms were stale and impersonal. One of the bedroom doors, the one next to mine, was carefully warded. I assumed that was his room. I allowed myself to wonder for a moment what his room might be like. He didn't strike me as the type to keep many personal effects.

The basement smelled faintly of potions. I knew that there was at least one lab downstairs, but I thought it was likely that there was more than one. There were five doors connected by the basement corridor. If he had labs in two or three of them, what remained in the others? I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to know.

The main floor had only two locked doors which both lead to the same room. It was accessible from the main hallway, and also from my favorite room in the house: the library. The library was not as large as I would have preferred, but it was crammed full with all sorts of texts. It held one of the fireplaces with floo powder, a comfortable leather couch, an overstuffed armchair, and a good reading table.

I was grateful that I was able to light the reading lamp without my wand. He'd been kind enough to leave a reasonable amount of lights on in the house, but the library was dimly lit. I paced the room, examining the shelves and trying to choose carefully what to study.

My primary goal was to find a way to help Harry and Ron escape, but of course I had very little knowledge of where exactly they were escaping from, and so I had only a general idea of what spells might be necessary. I settled on a book about wandless magic. It seemed appropriate as I was missing my wand.

I was quickly absorbed in the text, lying on my stomach on the rug before the fireplace so as to spare my aching bottom. I was re-working the proper pronunciation for a useful little levitating spell when the fireplace sprung to life. I jumped in shock and clamored out of the way just before the Professor fluidly stepped into the room. The book flew from my fingertips and made a dull thud on the floor. I toppled over gracelessly, landing hard on my ass, which hurt enough to make me cry out rather loudly upon impact.

"Good Merlin, Girl! What in the devil's name are you doing?"

Tears filled my eyes, a combination of pain, embarrassment, and fear. He'd startled me quite badly, and I'd been so absorbed in my study that I'd completely forgotten my earlier embarrassment and reason for avoiding the man who was now in front of me. It all came crashing back down on me as I looked up into his scowling face and felt the fire on my ass and thighs.

I shifted to a more comfortable position and fought to regain my composure. _I am not weak. I can manage this._

"I'm sorry, Professor," I finally said. "I was just reading on the rug there in front of the fireplace, and you gave me quite a start. I had assumed you would use the front door."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, well I should have known that I would find you in this room. You never could manage to keep your nose out of a book. I am not accustomed to having another person in the house. It has never mattered which entrance I used before."

I nodded. That was almost an apology. He continued to surprise me.

"Could you not sleep? It's nearly two in the morning."

"Oh. I'm afraid I was a bit absorbed. I didn't realize the time," I answered honestly.

"Mmm." He crossed the room and removed his cloak, hanging it on a hook behind the door. "Be careful in here. Not all of my books are friendly."

"I will, Sir. I'm sorry that I did not ask your permission. You were not here to ask, and it seemed as if you would have locked the door or informed Tink if you didn't want me to have access."

"If it keeps you occupied and out of trouble, I have no reason to restrict your access. See that I do not need to change my mind."

"Yes, Sir." Who was this man and what had he done with my professor? Excluding the grim line of his lips, he was being almost friendly. "May I ask where you were?"

He sighed as he unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled his shirtsleeves up onto his forearms. It briefly occurred to me that his dark trousers and crisp white shirt were the furthest state of undress in which I'd ever seen him. I'd always believed that his robes added to his imposing nature. Now I realized that it had nothing to do with his clothes. He was just as dominating when bare to the elbow.

My face flushed when I realized, once again, that he'd seen me as undressed as I came. He'd watched me orgasm, a sight that none other had ever seen. I lowered my eyes and hoped he would answer my question.

"I was meeting with what remains of The Order."

My eyes shot up, seeking contact with his. Was this truth? He ignored me and instead sat in the armchair where he proceeded to unlace his heavy black boots. I watched as his long fingers nimbly unthreaded the laces.

"Who does remain, Sir?"

"Minerva, Remus, Tonks, Alastor, a few others that I don't think you know. I'm reluctant to give you more information than that. You don't need to know, and the less you know the better."

"But, Sir—"

"Don't start with your incessant questions, Miss Granger, it is late and my patience is wearing thin."

I bit my lip. It was really hard for me to not ask questions, but I didn't want to upset him. This was the most civil conversation we'd ever managed. Perhaps it was time to go to bed. I stood and winced slightly. I was really going to be bruised in the morning.

"Did you not take the pain potion that I left you?"

"I'm sorry, Sir?"

"It was on your nightstand. You are quite clearly in pain. Why did you not take it?"

"I, uh, I didn't see it."

"Learn to be more aware of your surroundings, Miss Granger. It is foolish of you to have suffered this pain unnecessarily."

"That was very thoughtful of you. Thank you. I'll just go and take it now then. Goodnight, Sir."

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

I started up to my room, leaving the book that I was studying forgotten on the floor. I really wished I had seen that pain potion; it would have saved me quite a bit of hassle. It was exactly where he'd said it would be, on the nightstand beside my bed. What did that mean? Had he come into my room while I was sleeping? Had he been the one to tuck me under the covers? I thought of my previously naked state and flushed with embarrassment once again.

I felt as if I was on a permanent emotional roller coaster. The Order was meeting, and Professor Snape had attended. That meant that someone on the side of the light still trusted him. I wanted to do whatever I could to help the cause. I made a promise to myself that night that I would do whatever I could to be a help to Professor Snape. We may not have gotten along in the past, but he lived a very difficult life, and I would do my part to make it easier. No matter what, I would not get in his way, or worse, put him in harms way. We were in this together now.


	5. Chapter 5: Consent

_AN: You get two chapters in one day. Aren't you excited? :)_

**Chapter 5: Consent  
**

I had gone to The Order, trying to find a solution for the Granger girl. I couldn't just return her to The Order or to Hogwarts for obvious reasons, but I wasn't thrilled about keeping her either. I had enough to worry about without playing babysitter as well. We had considered trying to arrange a fake skirmish where she might be apprehended and taken to live with Minerva, but the truth was, she wasn't top priority at the moment. Using valuable resources to move her from one location to another was simply not a possibility while she was still safe. As a result, it was determined that she would be staying with me for a while.

We instead focused on her idiot friends and how to get them out of the Dark Lord's stronghold. Personally, I thought that we should forget about the stupid boys altogether and focus on killing the insane wizard. I was outvoted. Belief that Mr. Potter was still the Chosen One was the primary religion. No one thought we could take him down without the boy. What a crock of shit. That was the problem with the people who fought for the side of the light. They were so reluctant to let go of hope that they were completely blinded by it.

I guess I should have expected her to be in my library when I returned. Her thirst for knowledge did always trump all of her other emotions, but I had thought she'd be asleep. I almost felt bad for startling her. I guess we were both going to have to get used to living together.

I was relieved when she went off to bed. I was tired, and I had experienced far too much conversation for one day as it was. I picked up the book that she had unintentionally flung to the floor. She'd been studying wandless magic. I wondered if it would be safe to return her wand to her. She appeared to be fairly skilled without it, but obviously much more so with it. She was going to need to understand the situation fully if I was to give her back that kind of power.

I pulled an old familiar book from the shelf and went up to bed. The book was unnecessary. I was asleep in minutes.

I woke to the unfamiliar sound of laughter. I had a charm placed on the house that allowed me to hear sounds from the whole house in my bedroom. It worked kind of like a muggle baby monitor. I wanted to know if there was noise in any part of the house while I slept. Usually, I heard very little, but this morning it seemed as though my Elf and my former student were making use of the kitchen.

I lay awake and listened to their conversation. Hermione was telling Tink about Harry and Ron. They were laughing at one of their funny past adventures, but her voice was laced with sadness. She missed her friends. I shifted uncomfortably in my bed. I was glad that she had Tink to talk to, because I sure as hell didn't want to have that conversation with her.

After a while, I got up and showered. I knew from my eavesdropping that breakfast was ready. I was famished. The kitchen got decidedly quieter when I entered it.

"Good Morning, Professor."

"I'm no longer your professor, Miss Granger."

"I'm sorry, force of habit I guess. What would you prefer that I call you?"

"'Sir' works fine. In the presence of the Dark Lord, 'Master' would not be a bad idea. Not that I have any great desire to have you groveling at my feet like a slave."

This wasn't entirely true, but I didn't allow myself to dwell on it. In truth, I was rather frustrated with myself. I was having trouble getting the images of her naked body out of my head. It had been a while since I'd had a willing woman bent over a whipping bench. Not that she really was willing. I would not confuse potion-induce lust with natural consent. She never would consent, so the point was really moot.

"How are you feeling today?" I asked. She was still sitting rather awkwardly in the chair, and I was guessing that her backside was still tender.

"Better. Thank you, Sir."

Tink brought me a plate piled high with sausages and French toast, and I tucked in immediately. She was a fabulous cook. "Thank you for making breakfast, Tink. This is quite good." The little Elf bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. Clearly pleased with herself. Miss Granger gave me an odd look. Apparently she was surprised that I would compliment a House-Elf. I wanted the good food to continue. I wasn't about to upset the balance on something I enjoyed.

"Miss Granger, if you wouldn't mind, I could use your assistance today."

Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. Merlin, she was easy to please. "Of course, Sir. What can I do to help?"

"I need to do some brewing. I would like for you to work in the lab with me, but first I think we need to establish some rules. I will be giving you back your wand, as it will be necessary for you to assist me, however I hope you realize by now the seriousness of your position. If you try to leave my house, or do anything else as equally stupid, you will put us both at great risk."

"I haven't anywhere else to go, Sir."

She was correct. She didn't. But I chose not to comment.

"Also, I have locked rooms in my house as I am sure you already know. Those doors are warded for a reason. I will be placing extra layers of protection on them that I doubt you will be able to get through, but as you and your friends to frequently manage to get into trouble anyway, I am also asking you not to try. I value my privacy Miss Granger, and if you cannot respect it, I will see to it that you are unable to leave your room. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir. I will stay out of the locked rooms."

"Good. There are many dangerous things in this house. Most of which I think you are capable of protecting yourself from, but as a precaution I do not want you melding in anything."

She nodded, and I continued. "Do not open the door for anyone. My wards are set to alert me to the presence of visitors. I will choose to admit them or send them away. You are to be out of sight should someone come here. Other than that, I want you to fend for yourself. I will frequently be called away on a moment's notice. Sometimes you will be required to come with me. When you are not, I will expect you to wait here and stay out of trouble. Tink will see to your meals. You are to eat and sleep on a regular schedule regardless of whether I am present or not. I do not have time to be concerned with your physical health. You are responsible for your own wellbeing. I have not the desire to baby-sit you."

I could see the gears in her head turning. It was like she was trying to memorize every word. She was probably succeeding. The girl was practically a human parrot. I was sure she could recite back to me nearly everything I'd just said.

"And most importantly Miss Granger, you are not to try to contact anyone in the outside world in any way. I know how you like to have your nose in places it does not belong. If you can be of some help to The Order, which I doubt, I will instruct you. You are not to make any decisions or take any actions without express permission from me. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir, but what about Harry and Ron..."

"They are not your concern. I will agree to share with you what information I can about their well being if you agree to stay out of it. I know they are your friends, but you can only make things worse by trying to assist them now."

Her eyes filled with tears, and I looked away. I did not need to witness her emotional outburst.

"Is anything unclear to you?"

"No, Sir. May I have my wand now?"

Pushing my empty breakfast plate back, I grunted noncommittally and started down the stairs to the basement with the girl on my heels. I unwarded the larger of my two labs and led her in. I had her wand secured in one of the drawers. I retrieved it and handed it to her. She looked like she'd just gotten her puppy back from the dead.

"It is my preference to listen to music while I brew. Do you have any objection?"

"No, Sir."

I flicked my wand at the old fashioned record player in the corner and Bach's Cello Suite filled the air.

"We're going to do some basic healing potions. This will be your work space," I said, indicating the flat table surface in front of her. I would work across from her. She knew what to do, so I gave her what she needed and focused on my own tasks.

I fell into my comfortable brewing pattern and had nearly managed to block her out entirely when she spoke. "Sir? I know it's not my place to ask, but how did you convince The Order to let you meet with them? I mean after Professor Dumbledore's death, I thought most of them believed you to be on Voldemort's side."

I hissed in pain as the dark mark on my forearm flared at the mention of his name. "Do not speak his name in my presence."

She took a step back, he eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Sir."

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers. The pain in my forearm was receding, but it seemed it was going to be replaced with a headache.

"Albus left a lot of information in his diary. It passed into Minerva's possession after his death. She was able to convince the rest of The Order that I had been fulfilling my duty as Albus requested."

"So, Professor Dumbledore asked you to kill him?"

"Something like that, yes." I really didn't want to discuss this.

"Oh." She was quiet for a moment and I allowed myself the foolish hope that she might go back to working in silence. It was not to be. "What was killing him, Sir?"

"What do you mean, Miss Granger?"

"His arm, Sir. I always assumed that whatever killed his arm would eventually kill the rest of him. Professor Dumbledore clearly believed it to be incurable."

I don't know why I was surprised that she'd figured that much out on her own. Despite what I'd said to her yesterday, she always was fairly observant for a student.

"He was cursed by a dark magical object, and that is all I will tell you about it. Now stop chattering and focus on your work."

I went back to stirring the potion in front of me. I was perfectly capable of brewing and talking at the same time, but that was a line of questions that I had no desire to follow, and I didn't think Miss Granger and I would have much to discuss outside of people that I didn't want to think about. She bit her lip, but managed to remain quiet.

I watched her clandestinely as she worked. She did everything by the book, absolute perfection in her routine. She wasn't the most skilled student that I had ever seen. In fact, I didn't think that potions would ever be her strongest suit, but she followed directions like none other. She was the type to see the world in black and white, right and wrong. She colored within the lines and did it with exceptional precision.

Against my better judgment, I allowed myself to relive the previous days events. She had done incredibly well. Granted the potion had done most of the work in terms of her arousal and pain management, but she'd gotten over it fairly quickly and things were less awkward between us today than I would have expected. I had been debating all day how to bring the subject up. We needed to talk about what had happened, because she needed to be prepared for future encounters with the Dark Lord. That would not be the last time she was expected to perform for him.

"Miss Granger," I finally started. "This may not be the most comfortable discussion, but I expect that you are mature enough to understand why I have to bring it up. What happened with the Dark Lord yesterday is likely to happen again."

She blushed, and began chopping the ingredients in front of her at a more rapid rate. It was clear she wasn't going to add her two knuts, so I continued. "It would not be logical for me to give you the same potion twice, and the Dark Lord will tire of the same display anyway, but it is important that we have a plan. It is not my desire to hurt you, but at some point I fear that may be inevitable. Neither of us is fond of this situation, I'm sure, but the fact remains that if we both want to survive we would do best to work together."

She swallowed hard. The knife she was holding clicked a steady rhythm against the granite counter top. "I agree, Sir," she whispered.

"Miss Granger, I am not going to apologize for something that is not my fault. I did not get you into this situation. However, it is quite likely that in order to save your life and that of your friends, I will need to do some rather unforgivable things to you. I agreed to ask your permission when I met with The Order. I'm afraid you haven't much of a choice, but you would ease a few minds if you were to consent rather than force my hand."

"I'm afraid I don't understand what I'm consenting to, Sir." She kept her eyes trained on the potion in front of her.

"I don't fully know myself, but I can tell you that it will most likely be of a sexual nature. I have really only two options when I take you before the Dark Lord. One is to cause you physical pain, and the other is to perform sexually with you. I would allow you to choose between the two, despite the morbidity of the choice, but The Order has trusted me with your safety and the second option is safer for you–-at least physically if not mentally. You need to know that I would spare you if there was another option, but I don't really think there is. From the Dark Lord's perspective, the only reason for you to be alive is for my personal amusement."

She remained quiet, the constant clicking of the knife the only sound. I considered telling her that she'd already chopped more than twice what was necessary, but it seemed to be a comforting gesture to her, and we could always store the excess. I knew that I was no teenage girl's fantasy. Forcing this upon her would be close to unbearable. It was the only solution for now though. The Dark Lord needed to believe that I was keeping her alive as my plaything. If he thought, even for a moment, any differently, we would both be at great risk.

Eventually she sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'll consent, Sir," she said. Her voice was barely audible. "If that's what The Order thinks is the best course of action, I give you permission to do what you think needs to be done. I'll trust you to ensure my safety and Harry and Ron's as well, if you're able." She sniffed again. "I'm sorry to be such a great burden to you."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Truthfully, she was a burden, a very large one. But in spite of that, I found that she was not as great of an inconvenience as I thought she might be. She's managed to keep her incessant questions to a minimum. She was a competent brewer. She was thus far at least respecting my rules and my personal space. It was oddly more pleasant having her in my home than I could have imagined.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note: I'm not very good at remembering to give JKR credit, but I have a huge amount of respect for her and her characters. Everything recognizable, of course, belongs to her. _

_Thanks for reading and reviewing. It really helps to know how you feel about the story. Feedback makes it so much better. _

**Chapter 6**

What exactly was he asking? Did he want permission to fuck me? My first reaction was to be appalled. What kind of a sick man expects a student... but then I realized that his words were true. He was no more fond of the idea than I was. I had always considered my logic my biggest strength and right now I wasn't being very logical.

We were in a time of war. Harry and Ron were being tortured somewhere, and the one person who could possibly help them was asking me for something. He was asking for my compliance, my consent. How could I deny him that? If he had asked for my life, in exchange for the ability to keep my friends safe, I would have gladly given it. Why should the use of my body be any different? My logic told me that made sense. My fear told me to have a mental breakdown. I was tempted to give into the fear.

Of course the alternative was no more pleasant. The choice really was between easing his mind and consenting to the sexual activity or fighting with him, which would still result in sexual activity. Best-case scenario was that he would agree with my side of the argument and beat the shit out of me rather than raping me. That was not really a good case at all. My arse was still aching from the beating he'd given me the other day. I didn't even want to consider what it would have been like to actually feel those blows as he gave them.

The Order trusted him. I trusted him. He was our only hope. The true choice that I was being given was between adding stress to his life or helping to relieve it. When I saw it that way, there was really no question about my answer. I would consent. I would place myself in his care and trust him to do what was best for all involved. I did not delude myself with hopes that I would survive this. I knew the odds were slim.

I tried to keep the tears at bay. I knew they wouldn't help anything, but I couldn't control them. "I'll consent, Sir," I said. I wanted the words to be firm. I wanted it to sound like I was making a logical, well informed decision, but the truth was I was terrified. It came out more like a choked whisper. "If that's what The Order thinks is the best course of action, I give you permission to do what you think needs to be done. I'll trust you to ensure my safety and Harry and Ron's as well, if you're able."

I wanted him to know that I trusted him, that I was willing to do whatever it would take, that I was grateful to have him on our side. "I'm sorry to be such a great burden to you."

I was surprised to see his forehead wrinkle a bit. He seemed relieved that I was willing to play along, but he seemed a bit confused about the burden part. I'd been dropped, literally into his lap, by a crazy wizard who thought Snape should be grateful to have me around as a bed warmer, and then The Order had agreed that this was for the best. I was quite sure that no one had given him any more of an option than they gave me. Surely he saw me as a burden. I would do my best to make it as bearable as possible.

"I'll um..." I couldn't find the words to express what I wanted to say. "I'd like to help in any way that I can. I'll try to stay out of your way, but I would appreciate it if you would include me as much as possible. I'd like to be an asset to you, rather than a bother."

I guess I'd found the right words. He actually looked... touched... well in a Snape sort of way. "Thank you, Miss Granger," he responded. His voice was as cold and firm as it always was.

He lifted the heavy cauldron off of the flame and set it to cool on a stone table. I went back to my chopping, which I now realized was in great excess of what I had set out to chop. I passed the required amount across the table to him and then jarred the rest for future use.

Time passed by quickly when we were brewing together. He was truly in his element here. His potions were flawless, better than textbook. I wanted to scoff at the idea, but I couldn't deny what was right before my eyes.

"Sir, if I may... You should really consider writing a potions text. The techniques that you are using are far more effective than the standard texts that you teach from. It's a travesty really that proper instructions don't achieve the quality that you seem to manage quite effortlessly. If the book were simply re-written with the proper instructions—"

He let out a short barking laugh, and it startled me. I had never heard him laugh before. Just my luck, it would be directed at me. He had a smirk on his face that I didn't quite know how to interpret. I was surprised at how it changed his face, such a contrast from his usual sneer.

"You want me to re-write the text book because you aren't creative enough to modify the instructions to achieve better results?"

"I shouldn't have to," I argued. "The book should be written by someone who can achieve the best results. That's why experts write books."

He did that laughing thing again. "Gilderoy Lockheart... Need I say more?" A dead silence filled the room. I stopped grinding the ginger root I was holding. Did he just crack a joke? I had no idea how to respond to that. I stared at him with my mouth gaping open like a total idiot.

"What? He wrote a whole bookshelf full of volumes, and you must know by now that he was more incompetent than Longbottom. Not everyone who writes a book is intelligent." He paused for a moment. I was still too stunned at the thought of him making a joke to respond. "Don't tell me you were one of the witches who swooned over him? I'd have thought that you had better sense than to be taken simply with his appearance."

My cheeks felt hot. I went back to my potion. "In my defense, he lost his appeal after the whole Chamber of Secrets incident," I muttered.

He gave me half a smile. "I'll bet he did."

"I still think you should write a book." I was desperately trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. This was only the third or fourth time that we'd managed a conversation. I did not need to discuss my half-crush on my hair-brained former professor.

"I did."

"Did what, Sir?"

"Write a book, Miss Granger. Keep up."

I was once again dumbfounded. "Really?"

"Yes. Now hand me those Flitterbloom shoots." I passed the green shoots to him and went back to my task.

"May I read it?" I asked. I knew it wasn't in the Hogwarts library. If it were, I would have known about it. Maybe he published under a pseudonym. Either way, I was surprised I had never come across it. I thought, no I was sure, that I had read all of the published works of the Hogwarts staff.

"Not today," he answered. Well, at least it wasn't a solid no. It wasn't really a yes either, but I decided not to push. It was a strange enough conversation as it was.

Things went on like that for a few days. I discovered that I actually quite enjoyed his company when he wasn't in a bad mood. Of course, he was most always in a bad mood, but sometimes, when we had a few uninterrupted hours of brewing I caught a glimpse of a man who was very different from the imposing professor I knew. On the evenings that he was home, he began joining me in the library after dinner. We read separately in silence most of the time, he in the over stuffed chair, and I curled on the rug in front of the fire, but I found that he was surprisingly willing to set aside his own book and answer one of my questions if I came across something that I didn't understand in my reading.

I would not dare to say that we'd grown as close as friends, but we were adapting to each other. The key to the whole thing was learning to stay out of his way when he wanted to be alone. I had an intense urge to ask immediately if there was any news, but I began to trust that he would tell me if something came up that I needed to know. Truthfully he got very little personal time, and I didn't blame him for wanting to have some peace and quiet after the days he sometimes had. Of course, I knew almost nothing about what he did when he left the house, but he almost always returned exhausted and frequently with small injuries that he later healed himself. His was never a typical day at the office.

I was in the lab finishing up a batch of Calming Draught when I heard the front door open. I expected to hear his feet on the stairs, but instead there was shuffling and voices coming from the general direction of the kitchen. I was unsure of what to do. He had told me to stay out of the way when he had visitors, but what if something was wrong? I stood in the doorway and listened. It was hard to make anything out, but a moment later I heard the door slam and then the house was quiet. It sounded like whoever had come had also left.

I crept up the steps slowly, ready to bolt back down should anyone be there. I was completely unprepared for what awaited me. Professor Snape was lying in a rapidly widening pool of blood. Someone had laid him on the kitchen floor, unconscious, and bleeding.

"Tink!" I yelled. She winked to my side. "Get me a blood replenisher, pain reliever, and a blanket."

I knew all of the basic healing spells, but this was really beyond my ability. He needed a mediwitch. I considered using the floo to call for help, but he had told me never to make contact with anyone outside of the house.

I swallowed thickly and decided to do the best I could on my own.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: So I don't own Harry Potter, and I also don't own the phrase "I'm not that easy to kill" I borrowed it from First Knight... awesome movie. _

_Thanks so much for reading. Please review. It makes me feel loved. _

**Chapter 7**

**SPOV**

I awoke to gentle hands softly caressing my face. It felt like a warm, damp cloth was being used to wipe my brow. There were delicate fingers stroking my hair. It was a very pleasant dream, and I had no desire to open my eyes and ruin it. A gentle humming was filling my ears, sweet and melodic. If I was a less practical man, I might have thought I was in heaven, listening to the song of an angel, but I knew that I couldn't be dead for the afterlife held no paradise for murders and betrayers like me.

"Professor, please wake up," my almost-angel whispered. I didn't want to. I wanted to stay right here experiencing her gentle touch, hearing her sweet melody.

"You have to wake up. We need you. Please come back to me." I frowned. She sounded worried. She shouldn't be upset. She was too good to carry the weight of concern.

"Professor can you hear me?" Against my will, my eyes blinked open. Thankfully the room was dim, lit by soft fire light rather than the harsh fluorescents of a typical medical ward. I felt the weight of my own body settle around my bones, losing the pleasant floating sensation from my dream. I fought hard to return to that utopia, but my steady mind would not allow it. Reality crashed down around me, and I accepted the memory of what happened along with the dull aching in my body.

I was in my home. Hermione Granger was attending to my injuries, which were caused by the Dark Lord's wrath. If I remembered correctly (it was all a little fuzzy) I'd taken quite a beating. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Miss Granger," I muttered. She stopped moving immediately and listened. "I have told you repeatedly that I am not your professor." I blinked the sleep from my eyes and turned my head so that I could see her.

There were tears pouring down her cheeks, but her smile was wide. The expression of relief was obvious. She must have thought there was a good chance that I wouldn't wake. I didn't allow myself to question her tears. I would lock the thought away for further consideration. Was it really so unbelievable that she would cry at my death? Would she miss me? Would anyone? I'd not doubt they would miss my skills, but there were few who cared for me personally.

"Are you in pain?" she asked.

"It's manageable. I would like a drink."

"Of course, Sir." She retrieved a glass of water from the bathroom and helped me to sit up. It was then that I realized I was not in my own room. It took me a moment to place the location. I was in her's. She'd put me in her own bed. _Why would she do that?_ She couldn't get through the wards of my own room, I guess, or didn't try. But why not one of the other guest rooms? The couch in the library?

I sipped the water slowly and then she took it away, and I relaxed into the pillows, which carried her scent. She'd cast a warming charm on the blankets as well. It was incredibly comforting. A brief image flashed through my mind of my mother tucking me in as a child, but I pushed it aside. _How ridiculously sentimental of me._

"Are you okay, Sir? Can I get you anything? I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't know if I could manage your injuries, but thankfully you have a well-stocked lab and library. This book was particularly helpful. I followed the instructions for the lacerations on your leg exactly as it said to, and it looked as if I'd done it correctly, but there could still be—"

"Miss Granger," I sighed. She was going to give me a headache. I much preferred her almost-angelic humming. "Stop rambling. You did well. I'll be fine."

You would have thought I was awarding her the Golden Goblin. Her smile was positively frightening in its width. She opened her mouth several times to continue talking, but snapped it shut each time, refraining herself. I wanted to laugh, but I wasn't sure my stomach could take it. The pain reliever she'd given me wasn't the one I usually took. I should have gone over emergency procedures with her before this. I had known that it was likely I would need her medical care at some point.

"Sir," she finally questioned, "what happened to you?"

I didn't really want to talk about it. I didn't even want to think about it, but I knew she would be an insufferable ball of curiosity until I told her. Might as well get it over with. "The Dark Lord saw fit to settle a duel for Lucius and me. He ended the argument by beating us both to a bloody pulp."

"You were dueling with Lucius Malfoy?" I nodded my conformation. "But why?"

"Oh, we are always fighting over something. I find it amusing to provoke him. We wouldn't have really hurt each other; we've been at it for years. He's still pissed that I was able to best him my fifth year. He's older than me. It was a blow to his pride." That was all true, of course. That was a part of it, but I was over simplifying. The part that I didn't tell her was that she was the primary cause of the fight. If I was done with the girl, Lucius wanted to give her to Draco. I, of course, had always been possessive of my toys. I wasn't known for my ability to share.

"That hardly makes sense. The Dark Lord saw you fighting, and decided to break up the fight by injuring you both? He had to have known that you wouldn't hurt each other. Clearly the amount of force that he used was dangerous and unnecessary."

I once again wanted to chuckle at her naivety. "It wasn't like he was trying to break up the fight in order to protect us from hurting each other. We were simply making too much noise, and he felt the need to make examples of us. We deserved it, quiet frankly. It was a stupid thing to do. We've both been around long enough to know better."

She looked confused, upset. She clearly did not find the whole situation as funny as I did. I could hardly blame her. The Dark Lord had severed a major artery in my leg. I'd probably have bled to death fairly quickly if she hadn't attended to me. It wasn't a particularly difficult thing to heal, but it was life threatening. She took everything very seriously. Usually, I too would have been more somber about the whole thing, but I was actually feeling quite elated. I wondered what mix of potions she had poured down my unconscious throat to make me feel this way.

"I don't understand at all," she whispered. I could tell that she was close to crying again, and it deflated my mood.

"There's nothing to understand, Hermione," I said softly. "He's completely insane. That's what makes him so dangerous. He doesn't care about anything except his own power and immortality."

"You almost died."

I gave her a weak smile. "I'm not that easy to kill."

"I almost sent you Hogwarts. I didn't know what to do."

"You did the right thing. No one there could have done better."

She paused for a moment and then produced a vial from her pocket. "You should be resting," she said. Bossy as always.

I took the vial from her silently. She was probably right. She made her way to the door.

"Miss Granger?" I called softly after her.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Thank you."

She nodded and closed the door behind her.

**HPOV**

I closed the door behind me and cast a silencing charm on it before slinking to the floor and balling my eyes out. He'd almost died. If I hadn't gotten that artery sealed up... I didn't even want to think about it, didn't want to think of a world without him. I'd come to value his protection and his company in the time I'd stayed here, and I was terrified to think what would happen in a place where he didn't exist.

That he could joke in the face of death like that. What had he been through before that had made him so numb to potentially fatal injury? Where was the man that I thought I had known for seven years?

I curled into a ball on the floor and let the exhaustion sweep over me. I was so scared. I had never done anything so difficult in my whole life. To have the life of another human being in your hands and be responsible for their every breath, there is nothing more terrifying. I knew that now, for an absolute certainty.

How did he live with this? How did he bear the weight of responsibility that came with keeping me alive? How many others were there? Dumbledore certainly. How many people's lives was he responsible for? Harry? Ron? Draco? All of his former students? How many had he let down? How many had died on his watch?

I had never held the responsibility before tonight. For two hours, I'd been the sole factor determining his life or death, and it had nearly destroyed me. I could not fathom what it must be like to live with that feeling every hour of every day.

The world blurred as the tears fell from my eyes. I hugged my knees to my chest and prayed for the emptiness of sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's note: We got hammered with snow here in Western Pennsylvania last night, so I'm having a work from home day! Stay safe on the roads out there, if you're in a snow area. _

**Chapter 8 **

**SPOV**

I woke several hours later feeling well rested and rejuvenated. I called for Tink and asked her to start breakfast, which she did with far too much enthusiasm. I got out of Miss Granger's bed and took stock. At some point she had removed my robes. I was still wearing the shirt and trousers from the day before and they were both stained with traces of my blood. She'd done a fine job of cleaning up and trying to repair the clothes, but I would probably burn them anyway. I was barefoot. I had no idea where my boots might be.

I would return to my own room, shower, change, and then feed my very empty stomach. I pulled open the bedroom door and nearly tripped over her. What on earth was she doing? Had she spent the night on the floor keeping some sort of crazed vigil? I stepped as quietly as possible around her and called for Tink.

When she had the bedsheets changed, I gently lifted the girl from the ground. She stirred in my arms, but I shh'ed her back to sleep, laying her in her bed. I left her in the quiet room and went with Tink out to the kitchen. Tink informed me that Miss Granger had indeed spent the night in the hallway. Apparently she had cried herself to sleep shortly after leaving me.

Later after I'd showered and returned to the kitchen, I was still pondering why she might have done that. A slightly fresher looking Miss Granger came down to breakfast shortly thereafter. She'd had a shower, and her hair was pulled back out of her face.

"You're looking well," she said.

"I feel much better. Thank you." I chose not to comment on her state of wellbeing. "You should eat."

Think set a plate in front of her, and for a moment, I thought she was going to refuse it altogether, but then she picked up a fork and slowly pushed the cut up fruit around on the plate. If this continued, I would start lacing her food with an apatite enhancer. She was too thin as it was, and the news that I was about to deliver would not make her any hungrier.

"Miss Granger, I'm afraid that I have some unfortunate news. The Dark Lord has made a request to see you, again." She set her fork down and picked up her cup of tea. We both knew that it wasn't really a request.

"Do you know when?" she asked. She was keeping a brave face, but her hands trembled.

"Tomorrow evening."

"Is there a plan?"

"Not unless you and I make one right now."

She nodded. "Do you think we could discuss this a little later? I'm not sure I can stomach it right now."

I stood from the table. "You need to eat, Miss Granger. I'll be in the lab."

I left her, and went down to the lab. I shut the door behind me and pinched the bridge of my nose. What a great way to repay her for saving my life last night. Tell her that I was going to rape her tomorrow. I was doing what needed to be done, and I knew it wouldn't be pleasant, but having seen the hurt in her eyes... Merlin, I hated my life sometimes.

I set to work. There were several potions that I wanted to make for her. A contraceptive was at the top of the list. I considered a couple of other pain potions that I could mix with lust potions. I couldn't do it the same way that I had before, but losing your virginity was often a painful business, and it wasn't like I could be gentle about it in front of the Dark Lord. I wanted to give her something to make it easier.

I was arranging ingredients when I heard her soft rap on the door. "Come in," I called. She crossed the room slowly to my side.

"Sir? I, um, I've had some time to think about it, and I have a request to make."

I looked up from my work. "What is it?"

"I, uh, well you think that you'll have to... I mean tomorrow..." she was absolutely trembling, and there was nothing that I could do to comfort her. Whatever her request was, I would grant it, but I had no idea what she might want. I resisted the urge to tell her to spit it out.

"Yes, Miss Granger, I am planning to, for lack of a better term, have sex with you tomorrow in front of the Dark Lord." I thought it would help if I said it aloud for her. She clearly wasn't practiced in the art of speaking her sexual thoughts aloud.

"Right. About that... I don't..." She swallowed hard and there were tears in her eyes. She didn't want me to do that to her. I could understand of course. If I was in her position, I wouldn't want it either, but I couldn't grant her that. Neither of us had a choice.

"I am sorry, Miss Granger. There's nothing I can do to prevent it any longer."

"Not longer, Sir," she interrupted me. "I've accepted that it will happen, that it will be you. What I'm asking, Sir, is for you to do it sooner. I'd prefer that my first time... that my memory of that... not involve him. I think I have a right to lose my virginity in relative privacy. I don't favor the idea of an audience. Which is why I'm asking you to do it tonight."

I was stunned. I hadn't expected this at all. It was an interesting decision. I would have expected her to stay in denial about it as long as possible, but she always was more levelheaded than that. Maybe I wasn't giving her enough credit. It made sense in a way, but I wanted to make sure that she didn't have any delusions about it.

"I can't give you romance," I said evenly. "If you're asking me this because you think it will somehow be more pleasant—"

"I'm not asking for romance, and I'll understand if you aren't willing. I know that this is unpleasant for you, and you want to put it off as long as possible, but maybe without him here you could use a potion if you need to... not to say that you aren't capable without... I didn't mean... I'm making a mess of this."

She was making a mess of it, and I certainly didn't need a potion to maintain and erection, but I knew what she meant. I couldn't get a word in edgewise, and I felt it was best to just let her ramble it all out. It was like she was talking to herself anyway as she refused to look at me.

"Look, I just don't want my first time to be that way. There are things I would like to do. Like collect my virgin blood. Surely you understand that value of that as you're the one who taught it to me. And what if I do or say something completely embarrassing? It'll be hard enough with you when I know that you can keep a secret. Imagine if Draco or Lucius is there. We have very few choices, but this is one choice that I can make, and I would like to have this be on my own terms."

"Are you finished?" I asked. She looked at me wide-eyed for a moment and then nodded. "Good. I agree. If that's how you want it, we'll take care of it tonight."

Her mouth dropped open. Had she really been expecting me to fight her on it? She was wrong when she said that this would be unpleasant for me. She was a woman like any other and while I wasn't thrilled with the idea of bedding a former student, I doubted that my body would find fault with it. It had been far too long, and my cock was already stirring at the thought of having her beneath me. Hers was a simple and particle request and as long as she wasn't planning to romanticize it into something that it wasn't, I had no problem with granting it.

"You need a contraceptive," I said. "Did you have a preference?"

She shook her head no so I opened the book that contained the potion and passed it to her. She read over the ingredients, and then agreed that it would be suitable. She only had to take it once a month, and it was easy enough to come by. There was no waiting period either which was favorable in light of recent developments.

"Did you want anything else?" I asked. "I would give you a lust potion or a pain potion if you felt that it would help. A muscle relaxant wouldn't be a bad idea either. I will try to be gentle with you, but you should know that tenderness has never been my strong suit."

"Uh, no, thank you. I would, um, like to make the whole thing as natural as possible, at least for me. I've never been much for artificially creating reactions in my own body. It feels too much like lying to myself."

I agreed with her there. Looked like we were going to do this the way they'd been doing it from the beginning of time.

"We'll just brew these then," I said, passing her the list. We got to work. She didn't mention it the rest of the day, but I could tell from the posture of her body that there wasn't a minute that went by she wasn't thinking about it. She was right. The sooner the better. Otherwise she was going to worry herself to death.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: Er, so I guess I should warn you that this chapter contains sexual content. If you haven't figured it out yet, this story is for adults , in the original story this was two chapters, but I put it together into one monster chapter because it's all one scene.  
_

**Chapter 9**

**HPOV**

I was a nervous wreck. I couldn't believe that he'd agreed to my proposal. I thought I was really going to have to make a strong case in my favor, but he agreed like it was no big deal. For him, maybe it wasn't. I had no idea how many previous partners he'd had, and quite frankly I didn't want to know. Only one thing was for certain, he was more experienced than I was.

I tried to focus on the potions at hand, but it was far too distracting. At one point I almost broke down and begged him to just fuck me right there in the lab, to get it over with, but I was too scared to do even that. What would it be like? Would it hurt? Should I have accepted his offer for a potion?

Ron and I had fumbled around a bit so I wasn't completely new to the idea, but a little petting under our clothes was a far cry from what I thought I would experience tonight. I thought back to the night when Professor Snape had stripped me naked and whipped me. In my potion induced lust-haze I had rubbed myself against him, and I'd been able to feel his firm erection through his trousers. It was hard to know for sure, but he'd felt big—massive really—although I didn't have much to compare it too. I shuddered involuntarily.

Witches did this all the time, I reminded myself. It was supposed to be an enjoyable experience, not something to be terrified over. I kept telling myself that I would be fine. If I was lucky, I might even find it pleasurable. It wasn't the romantic affair that I had hoped for, but lots of women lots their virginity in passionate, if foolish, one-night-stands, and I didn't see how this could be much different. Professor Snape was an honorable man, and while I might not have chosen this for myself, he was doing everything in his power to help me. I respected him, and for this, it would have to be enough.

Dinner was awkward at best. I had nothing to say, and I couldn't eat. He forced me to at least take a few bites of my pasta, which I did halfheartedly.

"Miss Granger, I'm sure you probably don't want to talk about it any more than necessary, but I was hoping that we could have one more brief discussion about tonight."

My eyes snapped up to his. He wasn't going to try to talk me out of this was he? I had my mind made up. There was no other way. I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised his hand, patiently asking for me to wait.

"I am willing to fill your request, please don't think that you need to argue that with me. I think your decision is a logical and mature one. I simply had a couple of requests of my own. Would you hear them?"

"Of course, Sir," I answered.

"I would prefer it if you not wear your school clothes. Your youth is reminder enough of what I am going to put you through. I would like to limit the age barrier as much as possible."

I nodded. I hadn't really thought about what I would wear. I was much more concerned with the part that came after the clothes were off.

"Secondly, I would prefer it if you could refrain from kissing me on the mouth. That type of intimacy often fosters an emotional response that I don't think either one of us is prepared for. As you mentioned earlier, we have little choice in what we do. I'll understand if you feel otherwise, but as the more experienced partner in this arrangement, I think I'm making this recommendation soundly."

I swallowed hard. I wasn't sure that I understood that one. Kissing was just about the only physical thing that I was comfortable with. Could I give that up? He probably would know better than I would. If he thought it was for the best, then I would defer to his judgment.

"I'll, um, do my best with that," I mumbled in passive agreement.

"And my last request is that, because we are in the privacy of my home, you would use my given name and I would use yours. There is a need for formality outside of these walls, but if you are to share my bed you have a right to see me as your equal, at least for a few hours. Would that be acceptable to you, Hermione?"

I nodded again. I was feeling very overwhelmed.

"Good. I'll be in my room. I'll leave the door open. You may come to me whenever you are ready. Take your time." With that he stood and removed himself from the table.

I retired to my room a moment later. I turned on the shower and ran the water as hot as it would go, filling the room with steam. If I was going to subject him to this earlier than he had to, I would do my best to make it as good for him as I was able. I was going to be a fumbling mess. I knew that, but I could at least be well groomed.

I showered in the scalding water, hoping that it would somehow burn the unease away. I shaved my legs and my arms pits and then debated what to do about my private areas. It seemed somehow un-feminine to leave it wild and untamed, but I wasn't comfortable with shaving it all off either. What I wouldn't give for some female advice. Of course, I didn't really have any female friends anyway. Who would I ask?

I settled on a hybrid approach. I trimmed it into a reasonable line, removing about half of the hair so that it didn't seem so crazy but didn't leave me feeling completely exposed either. I guess if I really wanted to be practical about it, I could ask him what he would prefer. Not tonight, but maybe if we needed to do this regularly. I burst into tears as soon as the thought occurred to me.

I sunk to a sitting position in the tub and let the hot water cascade down over me as I hugged my knees to my chest and cried. I was so scared. I felt so alone. He was going to hate it, to hate me. He didn't even like me enough to kiss me. I thought back on every mean comment that he'd ever made about my appearance. The way he had laughed at my teeth. The way he encouraged Draco and his followers to torment me. I pictured his cruel and hateful sneer as I sobbed uncontrollably.

I don't know how long I cried, but by the time I was done, I had to use magic to heat the water. I forced the fear to go down the drain with the tears. I was done crying, and I felt better. The man that I had lived with the last week was not the same man who had made fun of me all of those years. The man I knew now was the one I was putting my trust in. He would help me. We could do this together.

I finished washing my hair and stepped out from the shower. I called for Tink and asked for her help. I wanted to do this right or at least as close as I could come.

**SPOV**

I showered and then pulled on a loose fitting pair of muggle pants. I didn't see the point in dressing fully as we were only going to get naked again anyway. I could hear the water running in the other shower, and I figured that she might be a while. She was nervous and was therefore likely to spend a long time preparing.

I got under the blankets of my bed and propped up a couple of pillows behind me. I retrieved the book from my nightstand but didn't open it. Instead I thought about the girl. She was a true member of her house all right. I had never seen that kind of courage in a woman her age. I knew that she was intimidated, but I had no doubt that she would come to me. She was not the type to leave her life up to fate. She made her own fate. I admired that in her.

I made a habit of looking forward instead of looking back because I believed that regret was rarely useful, but tonight I did regret. I regretted the way that I had treated her to this point. It wasn't as if I had any choice. I was required by my endlessly precarious position to play a certain role. But, I knew how much harder this would be for her as a result. I knew what it was to be made fun of, to have others look down on your appearance. I could only imagine what it was like to be in a situation like this with someone who had behaved in that way.

She probably thought that I hated her. For her own sake, I would never tell her otherwise, but I didn't hate her. I actually had a lot of respect for her, which was one of the reasons why I couldn't have her kissing me. It wasn't that I wanted it to be unpleasant for her. In fact, I planned to make it as enjoyable as I could. It was that I wanted to preserve that experience for her and whomever she ultimately chose to be with, assuming of course that she survived this mess.

I was still lost in my own musings when she came to the door. I had known that she would make some preparations but nothing could have prepared me for how she looked. She stood shyly in the doorway, one hand still on the doorknob, the other wrapping protectively around her middle. She wore lingerie that I was sure she did not own. She must have transfigured it from something, but if I didn't know that, I would not have been able to tell.

I swallowed the lump that caught in my throat.

The dress was a deep charcoal color, made of lace and a sheer material that hinted at the flawless skin beneath it. It was held up by two thin straps that dropped over her bare shoulders revealing the valley between her firm breasts. Her hair had been pinned up in a way that I was guessing had required Tink's help. It bared no sign of its usual, bushy, disarrayed state, instead falling in delicate curls down the back of her neck.

The negligee was gathered just below the bust with a satin ribbon, and then flowed softly downward to end at the tops of her thighs. Through the flowing material I could make out lace panties in the same color. It set off her pale skin perfectly. She was absolutely breathtaking.

I swung my legs out from under the covers and crossed the room to her. I moved slowly, not wanting to startle her.

"Come in, Hermione. You look lovely," I purred. I knew from experience that my voice was one of my greatest weapons in the bedroom, and I intended to use it as much as possible.

She took a tentative step towards me. I circled her slowly, wanting to wrap my arms around her from behind. I thought it would be best for her if she could forget that I was the one doing this to her. I pulled her back against my bare chest and circled her slight waist with my arms. I lowered my lips to her neck and kissed her gently.

"Close your eyes, beautiful. Just feel."

I nuzzled her neck and under her chin with my nose, and she sighed and tilted her head to give me better access. I breathed her in, and she smelled of lilacs, soft and feminine. I moved very slowly stroking the length of her arms with my fingertips. Her breathing was rapid and unsteady, revealing her fear, but she held firm. Gryffindor to the end.

I sucked gently at her pulse point, and she sighed, her body beginning to relax under my ministrations. When I thought she was ready, I put my hand on her wrist and lifted her arm so that she was holding the back of my neck. I needed her arms out of the way so that I could touch her. She surprised me by repeating the pattern with her other arm without my prompting. Her hands tangled in my hair, and she arched back into me.

I stifled back a groan as I looked down over her shoulder. I had a perfect view of the creamy white skin at the tops of her breasts. I curled my fist around the sheer fabric at her stomach at lifted with one hand, finding the bare skin beneath it with the other. I rubbed soothing circles over her hips and stomach while I sucked and nipped at the skin of her neck.

"You are so fucking beautiful," I growled into her neck. It was absolutely true.

She relaxed little by little and soon her breathing had taken on the steady pattern of arousal. I wrapped one arm firmly around her hips and held her tighter. My aching erection pressed against the gentle swell of her ass. She let out a soft moan when she felt it, but rather than pulling away, she wiggled against me in a very innocent but incredibly arousing gesture.

I held her in place and trailed the other hand over the skin of her stomach up to the underside of her breast. She threw her head back and whimpered seductively as I cupped her full breast in my hand. I rocked my hips against her, encouraging her to move with me, and she responded beautifully, grinding herself against me and tugging at my hair.

I took both of her firm globes in my hands and teased her nipples between my thumb and forefinger. They pebbled under my touch, and the rocking of her hips became more frantic. I lowered my hands, grabbing the hem of her dress and pulled it up over her head. She lifted her arms for me, and it slid off easily, I turned her around in the same motion, discarding the garment on the floor and pulling her flush against me.

The skin of her back was smooth under my hands as I stepped between her legs and resumed the rocking motion that we had established. I could feel the heat from between her legs through the thin material of my pants. Fuck, I wanted her badly.

I moved my hands down cupping her ass and pulling her against me. Her hands were back around my shoulders and she was placing soft, open-mouthed kisses along my collarbones. She let out a squeak when I lifted her by the backs of her thighs and carried her to the bed. She wrapped her legs around me pressing her core against my aching cock, and I couldn't help the groan the escaped my lips. I wanted to take this slow for her, but I was already desperate to be inside of her.

I laid her down on her back in the middle of the bed and climbed up after her. Her legs were still around my waist, bent at the knee and I thrust against her as I lowered my mouth to her breasts. She was incredibly vocal, crying out as I sucked her pink nipple into my mouth. Every sound she made shot straight to my balls and when she finally cried out a soft, "Severus, please." I thought I would come in my pants like a randy sixth-year.

Instead I tugged her sexy knickers down over her hips and flung them to the floor. With her legs spread open beneath me I could smell her arousal. I brought my mouth to the inside of her thigh, holding her open with my hands as I lapped at her unblemished skin. Her hips bucked aggressively as I traced the crease between her wet cunt and her thigh with my tongue. I spread her pussy lips and gently pushed two fingers into her tight channel. I groaned as I felt her contract around my fingers. She was so fucking hot.

She writhed on the bed as I pumped my fingers in and out, opening her up for me. I sucked and lapped at her clit as she begged incoherently. I could tell that she was close, very close. I increased the pace of my fingers, curling them slightly inside her, and she exploded around me. Her hips left the bed, as she writhed on my hand, gasping for breath. I removed my fingers and gently kissed her stomach as I waited for her to calm.

**HPOV**

Oh God. It felt like my whole body was on fire. I never knew that it could be like this. If I had, I probably would have done it months ago. Forget romance, the things he could do with those long graceful fingers. Bloody Hell.

When he had come up behind me and let his hands roam across my body I had closed my eyes and tried to imagine that it was Ron. Ron's hands cupping my breasts with just the right amount of pressure. Ron's mouth on my neck, kissing in the most erotic ways. But, my imagination wasn't that good, and neither was Ron. This man had none of the fumbling insecurities of a teenage wizard. His movements were sure and confident. I surrendered myself to his expert knowledge and let him drive my body to new heights.

I felt no shame when he undressed me, no embarrassment when he praised my body aloud. I lost myself in the feel of his long lean body and the slightly salty taste of his skin. His voice was steady and soothing, and I found it surprisingly erotic as he made filthy words and ideas seem exciting and beautiful.

I wanted to protest when he gently pushed my legs apart and used his tongue to lap at my clit, but I was a slave to my own desires. It felt too good to stop. I climaxed around his fingers, unabashedly crying out my release.

I was in a fog as he repositioned himself over me. I wanted to touch him, to look at his body, but he gave me no opportunity. He did not ask if I was ready. It wouldn't have mattered anyway; it was clearly time. He very simply said, "I'm going to take you now," and then he pushed the head of his cock into my slick entrance. I felt first a feeling of fullness, then pressure. I turned my head to make sure that the vial we had prepared earlier was doing its job. Severus had thoughtfully put it on the nightstand, and it filled with blood as I felt the slight pain of tearing through my maidenhead. I arched up under his slight weight. It did not hurt as I thought it might, uncomfortable, but not painful.

I dug my nails into his shoulders as he began to move above me. He lifted my leg higher his bony hip and executed a steady rhythm of thrusting in and out. I cried out inarticulately as he worked my body at a slow, steady rate.

"Fuck," he swore softly, his velvet voice wrapping around me. "You are so fucking tight. So good."

He kept one hand under my knee, keeping me spread for him. He used the other to support his own weight. I studied the sharp angles of his face as he looked down, watching himself sinking into me.

"Does it feel good yet, Hermione?" he asked. "Do you like having my cock in your tight little cunt?" I had no breath to respond, but I knew the answer in my head. Yes. I liked it very much. In the absence of an answer, I closed my eyes and gave into the sensations he was creating in my body. Every time he changed the angle of his hips I felt him reach a new place inside of me, like he was searching for something, not wanting to leave any part of me unexplored.

And then his hands were back, tugging at my nipples, stroking my sides and stomach. Everywhere he touched my skin broke out in goosebumps. The combination of his gentle hands and unrelenting prick was more than I could bare.

"That's right," he purred softly. "Let go, beautiful. Come for me."

I opened my eyes to look directly into his. His black eyes were dark and full of lust. No one had ever looked at me the way that he was looking at me now—like he desired me—like he was ready to devour me. I felt his fingers brush against my clit, and I could hang on no longer. I threw my head back and felt the orgasm over take me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced, coming at me in unending waves of sensation.

He cursed softly under his breath again and then slowed and ceased his thrusts. He moved away from me and retrieved his wand. He cast a quick cleaning spell and the sticky residue disappeared from between my legs. I collapsed on his pillow, utterly exhausted. I heard him cast another spell and then...

**SPOV**

I lay panting beside her sleeping form, trying to regain my breath and my mind. My body felt as it should after a good fucking, but I had never expected the emotions that were currently coursing through me.

I was in perfect control of myself until she had to go and open her eyes. She looked right at me and out of instinct I wordlessly slipped into her mind. I was astounded by what she was feeling. Arousal, yes, and a sense of wonder that her body could even do such things, but when I saw myself through her eyes it completely knocked the wind from me. She respected me, maybe even revered me. She gave me far too much credit both as a lover and a human being. I wasn't sure that anyone ever saw me in such a positive light. Her mind even suggested that she found me handsome in a unique way. What the fuck had I gotten myself into?

She would have fallen asleep anyway, but I couldn't risk having her say anything. Not right now. Young women often said things they regretted after such an event, and I was in no mood to hear whatever foolish post-coital confession she might choose to make. I cast a gentle sleeping charm to just push her over the edge.

I didn't fear being found out. She was not trained in _Legilimency_ and was unlikely to have noticed my intrusion especially considering that it happened moments before her first orgasm as a result of intercourse. It did make me feel like I had invaded her privacy in an intimate moment, however. I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. It wouldn't be the first time, and why the hell was I thinking about intimacy anyway? That was not intimate. It was simple fucking, albeit slow fucking.

I forced my mind away from the more dangerous emotions and focused instead on her body. I had taken only one other woman's virginity and my first experience was nothing like this. Merlin, she was so fucking responsive. It was like every thing I did coaxed a visible reaction from her. I had expected her to be passive at best, but she had been a very active participant. It was hard for me to remember that she was doing this because she had to and not because it was her desire.

Her body was so firm and fresh. Her skin tasted sweet and pure. I groaned softly. I was going to be hard again in no time if I continued down that path. I brushed her hair back from her face and studied her. She was resting peacefully, no sign of the horror I thought she might experience.

It would be better if she did not wake up here. I renewed the sleeping charm to ensure she would not wake and then pulled her into my arms. I carried the vial, which was now filled with her blood, as well. I knew she would want it. There were several potions that I thought she would probably want to attempt tomorrow with her new ingredient.

I put her in her own bed naked and covered her with the blanket. I grew angry with myself when I desired to kiss her forehead. I was not her bloody nanny. I returned to my own bed and fell asleep, surrounded by her sweet smell.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**HPOV**

When I awoke the next morning a gentle sunlight was pouring through the window, and I was in my own room. I felt a bizarre pang of disappointment when I realized that I had not woken up beside him. I pushed it from my mind immediately. That was stupid. Of course he put me back in my own room. He probably wanted to be done with me as quickly as possible. I tried not to be disappointed. It was my first time. Surely he had been with more experienced women who would have been... well... better.

I had done the best I could I terms of my appearance, but I was never one to lie to myself. I knew that I was lacking the style and figure that men preferred. Still, I had been half tempted to believe him last night when he told me that I was beautiful. I had never known him to give praise where it was not due, except maybe to his Slytherins. Maybe I fell into that category now. I was his possession and therefore similar to a student in his house. That didn't quite ring true with me, but I let it go for now.

I rolled over to get out of bed and winced at the ache between my legs. Ouch. I was surprisingly sore. I'd been caught up in the pleasure of it last night, but this was not pleasurable at all. I reached for my wand to cast a healing charm and instead found a note and two vials on my nightstand. The first was my blood from last night. The second appeared to be a cream. I read the note.

_Miss Granger,_

_You may be sore this morning. Rub the cream into your skin to help relieve the ache. Do not attempt a healing spell as you'll likely repair your hymen in the process making tonight more difficult. _

_Oh. Well that was thoughtful of him. _I awkwardly spread my legs and did as he suggested, rubbing the cream on my upper thighs. I assumed that it was also supposed to be used where the real ache was, otherwise he wouldn't have given me this particular variety. I warmed it in my hands before applying it, but it still felt cold. I flushed with embarrassment. I felt like an idiot. It worked right away though, and I was grateful that I was able to walk comfortably.

I showered and dressed, trying not to worry about what the rest of the day would bring. I met Tink in the kitchen, but she informed me that Severus had already eaten and was brewing. At first I wondered if he'd gotten up early to avoid me, but then I realized it was I who had overslept. I ate quickly and rushed down to the lab. I was already behind.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," he said, not looking up from his cauldron. "I trust that you managed to find the pain reliever that I left you this time."

"Yes, Sir."

"Did you eat? Don't lie to me."

"Half an omelet and a slice of toast." I hadn't really thought about it while I was eating, but that was considerably more breakfast than I'd eaten in days.

He looked at me as if judging my honesty and then nodded. He slid a work sheet across the table. "Brew those, please." I got to work.

We worked comfortably to the classical music that I'd come to associate with his lab. I had expected some level of awkwardness, but as usual he was his ever-professional self. I often forgot that working with adults was so much easier than working with students my own age. His maturity level was just so much higher than Harry and Ron's.

"Miss Granger?" I looked up from my potion. I was just entering the cooling stage anyway. "I received news today that might ultimately impact you. I thought you had a right to know."

"What is it, Sir?"

"As you know, tonight you and I will be entertaining the Dark Lord. Two members of the Order are planning to enter the Dark Lord's stronghold during that time with the hopes of either rescuing or getting better intelligence concerning Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. They plan to use polyjuice potion and blend in as Death Eaters, but of course there is always the chance that their cover may be blown. I am telling you this because I do not want you to accidentally call them out."

"I appreciate that, Sir. Is there anything I can do to help their efforts?"

"Your job, Miss Granger, is to provide an entertaining show. I have promised them that I will afford them as much time as I am able. We are the distraction, as it were."

"I understand, Sir. I'll do whatever you think is best."

"You'll do fine," he said, in a way that was almost reassuring. "I'm not going to tell you what I plan to do however, I would prefer to have the element of surprise in my favor."

I jarred the finished potion and started the next. "What would you say the odds are, Sir?" I asked.

"Odds of what?"

"Of getting Harry and Ron out of there?"

He sighed. "I don't know. Not good enough, but no one had a better plan."

I nodded. At least he wasn't trying to coddle me about it. I could tell that the plan hadn't been his idea. Of course, if it were up to him, Harry and Ron could probably rot in there.

"Will you tell me who the two members of the Order are?"

"No. I will not."

Well that put an end to that line of questioning. I went back to my silent brewing. A while later, we took a break for lunch. I was surprisingly hungry despite the breakfast I had eaten and the nervousness I was feeling about this evening. I ate a whole bowl of soup and half a sandwich. The professor nodded his approval.

We worked together in the library until dinnertime. I found that my appetite was one again lost however, so I picked at my food, and tried not to over think what would happen tonight.

"If you're not going to eat, you might as well go get ready," he said bringing me out of my thoughts. I pushed away from the table. "Braid your hair. It needs to be out of the way. I don't want to risk it getting caught in anything."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that so I just nodded and went to do as he had requested. I showered again although I wasn't sure why. I just felt like it was the right thing to do. Tink came in as I was leaving the shower and helped me to plait my hair into two long braids. I hadn't had pigtails since third year, and I felt a little silly, but I thought it looked okay.

"Tink, how do you think I should dress?" I asked.

"Master says not to dress Miss."

"What?" I asked.

"He says 'bring her to me naked'."

**SPOV**

After dinner I went to make my preparations. I had much of the evening carefully scripted. That was not to say that my script would not be changed, but it was better to have too much planned and not use it, than to be at a loss for ideas.

I went down to the locked room across from the lab. Miss Granger had yet to see this room, and if I had anything to say about it, she never would. There were some things that my former students just didn't need to know about me. I pushed the door open and entered my playroom. I hadn't had a submissive in here in months, and my encounter with Miss Granger last night reminded me that it had been too long. Ah well, the Dominate in me would get some exercise tonight like it or not.

I was waiting for her in the kitchen when she came down the hall. She had a terrycloth bathrobe wrapped around her like a security blanket. Her eyes were wide with fear, but her hair was out of the way like I'd asked. Her color was still okay. It didn't look like she was going to pass out. I was glad that I'd made her eat earlier in the day. She hadn't noticed the small amount of hunger potion that I'd added to her first two meals. I'd let her pick her way through dinner, because I thought that the odds were good that she would throw it all up at some point tonight anyway.

"Sir," she said politely.

"Miss Granger, please drink this," I handed her a potion. She uncorked and sniffed it.

"It's a pain potion."

"Yes. A mild one. I think the odds are good that you will experience some pain tonight. This will help to reduce it, although not eliminate it all together." She tipped the vial back and swallowed.

I produced a black leather collar from the pocket of my robes. "Miss Granger, tonight you are going to act the part that the Dark Lord has wanted to see you in from the moment he gifted you to me. I'm going to make you my slave." She swallowed hard and looked at the collar in my hand. I stepped forward and fastened it around her neck. She looked uncomfortable in it, but at least she wasn't whining. I had to give her some credit. She was actually quite mature.

I untied the belt at her waist and pushed the robe back off of her shoulders letting it fall to the floor carelessly. She shivered a little as the cool air hit her naked skin, but still she didn't protest. "Wrists," I said, giving her a gentle command. She held her arms out in front of her, and I fastened an identical black leather cuff to each wrist. I then bound her wrists together with a short chain. I released her wrists and took a good look at her. I tried to will away the erection that was forming of its own accord. She looked incredibly hot wearing nothing but my collar. I was sure to enjoy this much more than she would.

I took the last item out of my pocket. It was a thin black leash that I clipped to the D ring on her collar: the true mark of a slave. I stepped forward, one hand on her neck, the other on her naked hip and Apparated us to the stronghold.

"Get on your knees, Miss Granger," I growled so that only she could hear me. "And, from this point forward don't believe anything I say."


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: Once again, thank you all so much for your reviews and encouragement. They mean the world to me. :) _

_It's a whole lot easier to make regular updates on a story that's already written, but I'm doing a lot more editing/re-writing as a get closer to the end, so I'll try to stick to this pace, but no promises. :P  
_

**Chapter 11**

**HPOV**

I was suddenly terrified. The cold air swirled around me as I dropped to my knees in front of him. I felt the pain of the stone floor without my hands to break my fall, but the pain was a minor emotion when compared with the terror. I realized now what a great favor he had done by drugging me the first time he'd brought me here. I could feel nothing but lust the last time, nothing but fear now.

I could hear screaming. A terrible high-pitched scream of agony and it was coming from the direction that we were going. I was glad I hadn't eaten much dinner. What little I had consumed was threatening to resurface.

He walked forward in front of me, pulling me along behind like a lame dog. My hands were joined together so I could not even crawl normally, instead putting my weight on both hands and then awkwardly moving both legs to catch up. The stone floor was uneven and unfriendly to my knees, but the pain was better than the chill. The floor was damp and freezing.

He led me down a narrow hallway that opened into a stone chamber. It was different from the throne room we were in the last time, but the concept was much the same. Voldemort sat on a platform, raised above his subjects. This time, however, it was more than just Severus and I. There were at least twenty people in the room, most of them were Death Eaters that I recognized, but scattered among them were several naked women, one of whom was issuing the blood-curdling scream that I'd heard from down the hall.

It was hard to tell for sure, but I thought that they were all muggles. They were in various stages of being beaten and raped. The wizards were laughing while they bled. I closed my eyes against the horror of it, but Severus had not stopped walking and consequently, I tumbled forward when my leash reached the end of its extension. Before I could even process what had happened, Severus had grabbed me by the collar and pulled me to my feet. He threw me easily forward where I landed hard against a waist-high bench with a dull thump. The air expelled from my lungs as I felt the impact against my stomach.

I probably would have slid off of the bench and on to the floor, but he was very quick with his wand, causing a chain to rise up from the stone floor and attach to my cuffed wrists. It pulled tight, retracting into the ground until my arms were fully extended and my feet were barely reaching the floor. I was standing awkwardly on my tiptoes with my torso laid across the bench and my arms out over my head like a demented flying superhero. It was extremely uncomfortable, and I was acutely aware of my naked state.

As I was still struggling to maintain my awkward balance, the chamber suddenly filled with a harsh light and the screaming stopped. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, a massive contrast from the environment a moment before. I looked instinctively to where the screaming woman had been and saw her limp body, still pinned under the weight of a Death Eater that I did not recognize. He was frozen in obedience as were the rest of the room's occupants. I didn't dare to breathe.

"Sssseverus," Voldemort hissed. "I've been waiting for you."

I heard Severus drop to his knees behind me. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, My Lord. How may I serve you?" I was quite sure that we had not been late. Severus was always prompt.

"You promised me a show, Severus."

"Of course, My Lord. If it pleases you, we will begin."

I did not hear a response, but there was a rustling around me of people reorganizing themselves. I could see very little from where I was. My heart was beating erratically in my chest, and I could feel my hands shaking in their binds. One of the muggle women let out a cry but it was choked off immediately as someone cast the killing curse. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming myself, but I could not help the tears that poured down my cheeks. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to block out everything around me.

I jumped, pulling harshly on my poor tethered arms when he came up behind me. I knew it was Severus immediately, despite my closed eyes. He stood between my legs and leaned over me, the weight of his chest against my back. His body was warm and comforting, the smell of sandalwood familiar. He had removed his robes, and it was his starched dress shirt and trousers that I now felt against my skin.

I leaned on the truth that he would take care of me. He would be my protector. He wrapped a cloth around my eyes, a blindfold, I realized, and I breathed a shaky sigh of relief. I had not been very successful at closing my eyes, but I did not want to see. I wanted to be completely void of sensory input in this place. I wished he would cover my ears as well, but the room had grown silent anyway. I wasn't even sure if the spectators were still present.

"Focus on me," he whispered in my ear. I did just that. In the darkness, I allowed myself to believe that it was only he and I. I took it a step further and called to my imagination for images of the previous night. I tried to remember his hands on my body, the feel of his lips on my neck. Anything would be better than the terror that had welled up in my guts. The heat of his body disappeared, and I heard the slow footfalls of his boots on the hard floor as he moved around the room.

I cried silently into the blindfold and tried to gain control of my breathing. I had mostly succeeded when his boots made their way back to me. His voice startled me when it pierced the silence. "Count," he commanded and then a resounding snap rang out. I didn't feel the pain until a moment later, when the fleshy curve of my ass bloomed with intense heat. My logical brain wanted to know what he'd hit me with.

"I told you to count, slave," he barked harshly, his voice cold and controlled. I heard the snap again, and then fire on the other side. It took me a moment to process what he wanted. I was so afraid.

"One." The word quietly escaped my lips, and I braced myself for the impact of the killing curse, somehow sure that speaking would bring my immediate demise, but the curse did not come. Instead I heard the quiet whistling of the object moving through the air before the impact at the top of my right thigh.

"Two," I sobbed. A belt maybe?

Crack. There was no jingle of a belt buckle. "Three."

A leather strap then, he was beating me with a leather strap. Somehow knowing what it was lessened the pain it brought. A leather strap was an inanimate object, hardly fear-inducing on its own. My own parents had never spanked me, but I knew that in some households this was a fairly common punishment for a wayward child. I'd never heard of anyone dying of such a thing, nor really suffering any kind of serious injury.

"Four."

I was completely helpless and completely reliant upon him. I thought back to the night when I had healed his injuries and kept him from bleeding to death on his own kitchen floor. I remembered the weight of that responsibility and now realized that the same responsibility was on his shoulders. I knew for a certainty that there was no one else I would have chosen to be in his place. There was no one else who would have filled the role as surely and selflessly. His self confidence and stability of mind were incredible.

"Five." I was becoming numb to the pain. Each stroke hurt more than the last, but I somehow felt it less. It was like each crack of the leather pushed me further into my thoughts and brought greater understanding. I relaxed my body and submitted myself to my fate. I could not fight, so I would choose to surrender on my own terms. I would submit willingly to his control.

I continued to count, but it became a mindless activity, like walking for a child, one number after the other. My body remained, dutifully counting, accepting each blow, but my mind found its own refuge. In the darkness behind the blindfold there was only him. Only his hands. Only his voice. He was telling me that I was beautiful and brave. He was taking the taut peaks of my nipples into his mouth and sucking gently. His black eyes were filled with lust and determination. He wanted to fuck me. He wanted to posses me. I needed him.

I no longer registered the pain from the steady falls of his strap. It took me a moment to understand that he was no longer hitting me. Where had we stopped? Fifteen? Twenty? I could not remember.

I felt the palm of his hand, cool against my overheated flesh. He pushed the globes of my ass apart, his thumbs lightly skimming my pussy. He was speaking, but I could not understand. He filled me in one hard thrust. His solid erection felt like cool steel, completely unyielding. There was a loud moaning coming from somewhere, quite possibly my own lips, but it seemed alien to me. He moved easily within my slick passage. When had I become so wet? Did I find this arousing?

He took my carefully braided hair in one hand and pulled my head back harshly. I tugged at my wrist restraints, but they were not giving. The other hand he brought down on the curve of my ass, stinging the sensitive red flesh once again. His hips moved at a frantic pace as I absorbed the impact of each stroke. His balls smacked rhythmically against me, in time with his thrusts. I struggled against him. Fighting him and trying to take him deeper at the same time. My feet no longer touched the floor.

It came over me like a tidal wave. It started like a tightening sensation low in my belly. I could not fight it. Could not will it away. It reached a crescendo quickly, climbing into a feeling of utter bliss. Every fiber of my being cried out in a combination of fear, pain, arousal, and overwhelming release. It was far too much emotion for me to process logically. I could do nothing but feel. My whole body trembled, and I melted into the warmth of his skin.

I cried out when he left me a moment later. The cold air was unwelcome in his absence. I hung limply from my arms, unable to find purchase with my feet and without the strength to try. I registered voices. We were not alone, but it did not matter. _He_ was the only thing that mattered. I experienced a weightless sensation, and then felt the cold stone of the floor under my back.

His voice sliced through the room. The only one that mattered. "Enervate_."_

I opened my eyes, suddenly much clearer. My blindfold was gone, and I was looking up into the black eyes of Severus Snape.

**SPOV**

I had given her twenty hard strokes with a medium-width leather strap. I expected her to scream, to beg me to stop, or to fight back in some way, but I was completely unprepared for her natural response. At first I thought that I'd given her the wrong dose of pain reliever. Maybe she wasn't feeling the pain at all. I was unlikely to make such a mistake, and even if I had, I was fairly sure that she would have corrected me before drinking it.

She was crying, and the tone of her voice suggested that she felt at least the first few. It wasn't until around stroke twelve that I came to terms with it. She had put herself in sub-space. She had mentally compartmentalized the pain and gone into a fantasy in her mind. I tested my theory by trying to talk to her. I called her a filthy whore. She nodded her head slightly as if she recognized the sound of my voice, but otherwise it was like she hadn't even heard me.

I had seen this in the BDSM world before, but typically a sub had to be worked into it slowly, and it had to be practiced. It was almost like a form of mediation. It usually took years of practice to really be successful in blocking out the pain and fully experiencing the fantasy. I would have said it was impossible for a completely inexperienced sub to achieve it after only five or six stripes and even more unlikely with a Dominant that she didn't fully trust. I almost wanted to laugh. She always was an overachiever. I hid my surprise and continued to deliver nice even blows to her ass and the back of her thighs. I was quite sure that the Dark Lord didn't give a damn about sub-space. He did seem to be enjoying watching her ass turn a lovely shade of red though.

When I reached twenty he stopped me and ordered me to fuck her. I was more than ready. I was prepared to cast a silent lubrication charm, but it was clear that it would be unnecessary. She was dripping in her own natural lubrication. There was not a doubt in my mind now. Hermione Granger was the most natural submissive I had ever seen. At this moment I could do anything I wanted to her and she would not utter one word of protest.

I sheathed myself in her wet heat and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from coming. She was utter perfection in her submission. I thought back to the day in the lab when she had given me her consent. She did not have many choices in this, but the choices that she made had all indicated her compliance, even her willingness to help. Was it possible that she could learn to find pleasure in this? I really needed to pull my shit together. This was not the time for revelations.

I made a show of it, telling her to beg for my cock. She complied easily, begging me to fuck her harder. I don't think one word of it was completely conscious for her though and that was probably for the best.

The Dark Lord cast a spell to rotate the platform we were standing on. It was always a little unnerving to have the floor shifting beneath your feet, but it was a fairly common practice with him. He preferred to see the action from every angle. I could feel the girl tightening around me, the pace of her breathing increased. She came hard, screaming out her release in an erotic cry. I pulled back from her, and ejaculated all over her pink ass and thighs, reminding myself once again of the performance.

I looked to the Dark Lord who was still in his chair idly stroking his own cock. "Wake her up, Sssseverus. I'm not finissshed with you yet."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

**SPOV**

I knew this wouldn't be good. I had hoped that he'd manage to get off while I was fucking her, which would have limited the time that I needed to be in this room, but off course he couldn't do anything efficiently. I had little choice but to wake her from her self-induced trance. I vanished her blindfold and moved her from the bench to the stone floor.

"Enervate." Her eyes opened, alert with conscious function.

"Lucius," the Dark Lord called, "bring me our other guests."

Fuck. He wanted Weasley and Potter. That was bad on so many levels. It would interrupt the plans of The Order, putting us all at risk. And I was sure that he was calling for them so that he could torture them in front of Miss Granger. I didn't even want to think about what that might do to her mental state. I had two choices and only a few seconds to decide. I could either let it play out and hope for the best, or cause some kind of a disruption, which could potentially lead to far grater damage. Every possible scenario played out badly in my head.

I ran my thumb over the charmed coin in my pocket to alert Lupin that someone was coming, and then set about my distraction. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well for me, but I needed to buy them more time.

"Wait!" I interjected, knowing full well that I was speaking out of turn and was likely to be punished for it. "You were so eager, Lucius to get your hands on my slave the other day. Now is your opportunity. Perhaps our master would like to watch us taking her together?" I phrased the last question to the Dark Lord himself. The room grew quiet. Everyone understood my error. You did not disrupt the Dark Lord's plans. I had virtually no hope of succeeding, but I was buying valuable time for my fellow Order members to escape.

I was preparing myself for the pain of the Cruciatus curse when Miss Granger spoke. She had either put together the logic of what I was trying to do, and decided to come to my aid, or she was far dumber than I had thought. "Yes, please, Master," she begged, rolling over from her back to her knees and pressing her forehead to the stone floor in a groveling gesture to the deranged despot. "If it would please you, your slave wishes to perform for you with your trusted servants."

Everyone around the room stared in her direction, looks of astonishment plastered on their faces. Even the Dark Lord looked at me with a questioning gaze. I was going to have to think very quickly.

"Sssseverus, explain this," he commanded.

"I have conditioned the mudblood, my Lord," I said, bowing my head. "In the weeks that I have owned her, I have used a combination of potions and severe punishments to bend her mind. She has only two thoughts in her head, my pleasure and yours. You heard not ten minutes ago how she loves to beg for my cock. If she were worthy of you, she would also beg for yours. I have created for you, my Lord, the perfect slave."

"Interesting. That is quite a feat Severus, but I somehow doubt that you've done this for my benefit, as you have primarily programmed her for your own gratification."

"Forgive me, my Lord, I have been very much enjoying the gift that you so graciously gave me."

I was amazed. This little diversion had bought plenty of time for the Order members to escape and no one had yet died or been tortured as a result. All things considered, it was a miracle.

"Lucius," the Dark Lord called. "Come. I want to see Severus' toy in action."

I flipped the warm coin over in my pocket, signaling that the coast was once again clear, and then returned my attention to the girl. She was not going to like this, but she was smart enough to know that she was helping The Order and therefore her friends with her actions. I thought she was unlikely to give up the rouse now. If she wanted to survive, she would play along.

Malfoy stood in front of her, his polished black shoes inches from her head. I could not spare her now, but I could try to make it as easy as possible for her. I hoped that she was really as submissive as I thought her to be.

"Slut, beg him for his cock." I fought back the irrational jealousy that pooled in my gut. She was not mine, and therefore I could not be jealous. Furthermore, why the hell did I suddenly care? I must be losing my goddamn mind.

"Please, Sir. Allow me to suck your cock." She pressed her lips to the tops of his shoes, and I fought hard to keep from hexing him. She was far too good of an actress, and I was far too possessive of her.

Lucius quirked an eyebrow at me before lowering his fly and grabbing a handful of her hair. He tugged her head up and shoved his cock into her mouth. I had time to wonder if she had ever sucked a cock before. I thought this was probably her first time, and she was certainly not going to get a gentle introduction to it. She choked and sputtered a little around him, but proved to be a natural at this, just as she was at everything else. In almost no time she had him grunting and panting.

I had almost forgotten my role in all of this, but as soon as I remembered myself, I was eager to join them. I tried not to think about the intense need that I felt to reclaim her. She was sucking him off because I had commanded her to, but she belonged to _me_. She was mine.

I cast a cushioning charm on the floor, making it look as though it was for my own comfort, but really removing the strain from her knees. I knelt behind her and took my erection out of my pants. I rubbed the head of my cock against the folds of her pussy and was both surprised and pleased to find that she was not wet. She had been brought out of her earlier lustful state and was now, not as aroused as I expected her to be. My imagination had a field day with all of the things that could mean, but I pushed them away for later consideration.

I cast the silent lubrication charm that I had prepared, and then thrust hard into her waiting cunt. She let out a muffled moan around his cock. I gripped her hips tightly and raked her back and forth across my cock. I considered spanking her while I was fucking her to try to put her back into sub-space. That would make this whole experience less traumatic for her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted her to have her wits about her while I claimed her from behind.

I aligned my body with hers, and put my lips next to her ear. "Do you like how I'm fucking you, slave?" I growled in her ear. I knew she couldn't respond, but I was going to verbally claim her anyway. I wanted her to know that I was in charge of this scene. "You would do anything I told you to do, wouldn't you? You would suck their cocks, let them fuck you. You belong to me." I slipped the four fingers on my left hand under the back of her collar, pulling it tight against her windpipe. Her body tensed in fear as her breathing was restricted. I relaxed the pressure, showing her that I would not harm her. Her body relaxed with me. Oh yes. She knew full well that I controlled her.

I thrust deep into her, filling her, and she clenched around me. "Get him off, slave," I commanded. "Suck harder. Make him come."

Her cheeks hollowed out at my command, and his knuckles grew white where he gripped one of her long braids in his fist. He came a moment later, grunting loudly as he held his cock deep in her throat. She choked on it, but managed to sloppily swallow most of it. I wasn't far from coming myself, but I wanted her to come with me. I needed her to know that I was the one who would grant her pleasure. The _only_ one.

I brought my free hand down hard on her ass, the other still holding her by the collar, claiming her. She yelped when she felt the sting, but then bucked her hips hard against me. Fuck. I slapped her again. She was so close to coming. I could feel her bathing my cock with it. "Come for me," I commanded, bringing my hand down one more time on her flushed pink backside. She screamed her release, and her velvet walls gripped my cock hard. I came deep inside of her, growling, "mine," into her neck.

I was so caught up in her body that I completely forgot our current surroundings. I jumped when the Dark Lord spoke. "Get out of my sight. All of you," he commanded. I took one last look at the throne, noting the ejaculate that was sprayed down the steps in our direction. _I guess he enjoyed the show._

I pulled Hermione into my arms. "Hold on to me." I had time to take comfort in the warmth of her body as I carried her from the main chamber. As soon as it was possible, I Apparated us to my home.

**HPOV**

As soon as I felt the safety of his home around me, I burst into tears. I couldn't help it. I had been so terrified. It took everything I had to just hang on. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.

"Shhh," he soothed. "You're okay. It's over. You did well, Hermione."

He carried me into the library and laid me down gently on my favorite rug in front of the fire. He removed the leather cuffs from my wrists and massaged the circulation back into my fingers. He unhooked the collar from my neck as well and gently brushed the area with the back of his hand. I curled into the fetal position, still crying, unable to stop the flow of tears. Never in my life had I processed so many emotions in one day. The whole experience was completely overwhelming, and I had no other outlet for releasing the flood of feeling.

He gently rolled me onto my stomach, and I went limp under his hands. He massaged oil into the skin at the tops of my thighs and ass. I immediately felt the relief that it brought to my sore hide.

"So brave, little one," he whispered. "You did so well." My heart swelled at his praise. He was proud of me.

When he was done with the oil, he wrapped me in a fluffy green bathrobe that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He carried me to the couch, and cradled me in his lap with his strong arms around me. I laid my head on his chest and let him comfort me, giving myself over to his strength and security.

I think I awoke once in the night, screaming from a nightmare, but his steady hands were there, pressing a cool liquid to my lips. Periodically I dreamed that I could feel his arms around me, or his lips on my forehead, but when I opened my eyes to the morning light, I was once again alone in my bed.

I went down to breakfast to find him finishing his eggs and toast. "Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning, Miss Granger. How are you feeling?"

"I'm well, Sir, thank you." Tink set a plate of food at my place. Just the thought of made my stomach rumble. I was surprisingly hungry. I tucked in and Severus nodded his approval in my general direction.

"You will be pleased to know, Miss Granger, that our diversion last night was effective. We allowed the members of the Order enough time to pass portkeys to both Mr. Weasly, and Mr. Potter. If all goes as planned, they will be transported out of the Dark Lord's fortress this afternoon. We are hoping that all of the involved parties will be cleared of suspicion due to the time delay in their escape. We can hardly be blamed if we are nowhere near the escaping prisoners. As an added precaution, however, I have asked Peter Petigrew to come by this afternoon and collect some potions. A solid alibi is never a bad idea."

I breathed a sigh of relief. They were going to escape. "Thank you, Sir. I am forever in your debt for what you've done for them."

"We have brewing to do," he said, standing from the table. "Finish your breakfast and come down to the lab."

"Yes, Sir."

I thought the whole thing over in my mind as I ate. If Harry and Ron escaped they would probably go into hiding with The Order. They certainly couldn't go back to school. What would happen to me? Would I stay here? Would I go with them? I didn't like the thought of leaving. Sure, I missed Harry and Ron, but I felt like I could be valuable here. I was helping every day with the brewing, and I thought that the research I was doing in the evenings might come in handy for the future. Plus, Voldemort would be very angry with Severus if he lost me, and I couldn't bare the thought that he might be punished for my absence.

No. I was staying with him, I decided, even if they tried to make me leave.

I pushed my plate aside and went to join him in the lab.


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's note: So I keep reading about JK Rowling saying that Hermione belongs with Harry instead of Ron, but she's still got it wrong. Hermionie belongs with Snape. :P_

**Chapter 13**

**HPOV**

Severus told me later that afternoon that the boys had been received into a safe house. I spent the next few hours pacing, sure that they would come for Severus any moment, but no one came. Finally, Voldemort summoned him just before dinner. After he left, I walked a path into the wooden floorboards. Did the Dark Lord know it was Severus? Was he going to kill him? I was relieved that my friends were safe, but I was scared to death for my professor. What if they were somehow able to tie the disappearance back to him?

An hour later, Tink made me take a calming draught which didn't really help. I worried myself to tears and eventually fell asleep in his armchair in front of the library fire. I was abruptly awakened an hour later, by the sudden roaring of the fire. I had never been so relieved to see someone in one piece. When he flooed into the room under his own power, I felt as if a million pounds had been lifted from my shoulders. He was all right. He walked stiffly, a side-effect of the torture curse, but he was whole.

He told me that another man had been executed in his place. He seemed to think there was nothing to worry about. I was not quite so easily appeased, but in the morning, I had to agree that it seemed he'd gotten away with it. He wouldn't speak of it again saying that rehashing it did no good. He wanted me to move on.

Things went back to normal after that. The Dark Lord did not ask to see me and no visitors came to the house. I was able to communicate with Harry and Ron via letters carried by Severus. I assured them that I was okay, and wanted to stay where I was. They assured me that they were recovering. They'd sustained quite a few injuries as a result of their time with Voldemort, but they had good medical care and would make full recoveries.

With my friends' safety assured, I found that I had idle time. I was slowly working my way through Severus' library one topic at a time. I had just finished an in-depth study of dark magic signatures and was now looking for a new subject. I brushed my fingertips lightly across the spines as I worked my way across the row. A wrinkle crossed my forehead as I reached an unfamiliar book. The spine was blank except for a single silver-embossed word _Mastery. _Truthfully I knew better than to just pull an unfamiliar book off the shelf, but I couldn't help it. My curiosity had always been great when it came to books.

I pulled the tome out of its place and carried it over to the armchair. The book fell open in my lap and my jaw dropped. Inside were moving pictures of a man and woman. She was naked, bound and hanging from the ceiling. The man behind her was dressed only in leather pants and he was swinging a whip of some kind at her backside. At first I thought it was some kind of grotesque horror, but as I was slamming the book shut, I noticed the look of pure bliss on the woman's face. This was not torture but pleasure. I was stunned. I turned the page, and found a written description of the act.

A door closed in the hallway, and I felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I cast a duplication spell, making a fast copy of the book. The charm would not hold up for more than a week, but that would be enough time for me to explore the pages. I put the original back in its place and swiftly carried the copy to my room where I hid it under my mattress. When I was sure that I had not been discovered, I returned to the library to find something else to study. Severus joined me a moment later and asked me to help him stir a particularity difficult potion.

I tried to count exactly thirty-three rotations, but somewhere around twenty-two the image of that woman chained to the ceiling popped into my head. I started in the other direction too soon, and the potion turned pale pink instead of fuchsia. Severus shot me a disapproving look, but luckily the potion was still salvageable.

That night I lay awake looking at the pages of forbidden material. The man was a Dominant, the woman his submissive. They chose to behave in this way. This was consensual sex. I turned page after page watching him bind her, spank her, and pleasure her. I watched her beg for more, and I saw myself in her. I replayed over and over in my mind the way that Severus had treated me in front of Voldemort. Was it possible that he was a Dominant? Was he acting that way out of necessity or desire?

I read about toys and playrooms, and I wondered what was hidden behind the locked doors in the basement. If he was a Dominant did he have a submissive? What was I? I knew for sure that I was not a Dominant. It was far easier for me to identify with her than him, and towards the end of the book when they showed a female Domme, I felt none of the arousal that I had experience earlier. No, I was quite sure that I fell into the category of female submissive. Was I really considering this? This was insane. I'd only just begun to have sex at all, and here I was fantasizing about such taboo scenes. Was something wrong with me?

I wanted to talk about it. I had so many questions, but there was no one to ask. Harry and Ron would never understand such a thing. Severus himself might, but I was mortified by the thought of discussing it with him. He was protecting me, saving my life, and I was turning him into an object for my sexual fantasy. It was grossly unfair of me.

My fantasies grew wilder as I read through scene after scene. I couldn't help it. I desired this. I tried to envision the man in the book as my Dominant, but I failed. As I rubbed myself to orgasm in my bed it was always my professor's face that I saw, his voice that commanded me to come. I relived the way he had fucked me that night, possessing me, calling me his over and over again. It consumed my thoughts day and night. I recalled the feeling of euphoria that I had experienced as he took a leather strap to my backside. I wanted to feel that way again.

I became distracted. I would watch him brew and take note of the way his fingers would gracefully accommodate his work. Every time he spoke I was reminded of the way his voice alone could light a fire in my stomach. I was a mess. I couldn't think straight. I needed him to take me over his knee, punish me for my mistakes—correct my behavior. If he didn't touch me soon, I was likely to explode like the cauldron in front of me. I even began to pray that the Dark Lord would call for me again, but he remained frustratingly quiet.

**SPOV**

The next week went by far more easily than I could ever have imagined. The boy wonder and his idiotic side-kick did manage to escape according to plan, and although the Dark Lord felt the need to use the cruciatus curse on every single one of his followers in order to gain information about their escape, no one fessed up. It seemed as though we would get away with it. It was never pleasant, but all things considered, a few minutes of extreme torture was barely a punishment at all when you were dealing with wizard like Tom Riddle.

He eventually executed Antonin Dolohov saying that he had confessed to helping them escape. We all knew that it wasn't true, but no one was eager to take his place, least of all me. Losing him was no loss to anyone, especially his battered wife and child.

The incident had put the Dark Lord in a bad mood, which fortunately resulted in a lowered sex drive. He had not asked to see the girl again, and I certainly wasn't offering. The foolish boys had been hidden in a safe house and were being kept under the watchful eye of The Order until we could figure out what to do next. Miss Granger was still in my care, and while there was now talk of sending her to live with her peers, she seemed to be decidedly against the idea. I had yet to determine why that was.

In fact, Miss Granger seemed to be the only thing going wrong this week. She had been inordinately clumsy the last few days. She was making mistakes in the lab and tripping over her words. In short, she was a fumbling mess, and I had no idea why. At first I thought it was excitement over having her friends in a safe place, and then I thought she wanted to be with them, but as the possible scenarios were eliminated, I became more and more perplexed. I had caught her staring at me more than a handful of times. It was like she wanted to ask me something and was incapable of coming right out and asking. It was very unusual for her. Typically I had the reverse problem of not being able to shut her up.

We'd spent a lot of time together recently, and I was actually quite comfortable with having her in my home. She had been a large help to me and had even learned to read my moods well enough to stay out of my way. I would have thought that she eventually would bring up whatever was on her mind, but after several days of watching her destroy my potions ingredients I was fed up with it.

"Miss Granger," I growled. "If you drop that handful of wormwood into that cauldron, you and I both know it's going to blow up in your face. Take the fucking thing off the fire before you destroy the whole lab." Her eyes widened as she looked from the ingredients in her small hand to the bubbling potion. She stepped back and dropped the wormwood as if burned, finally realizing her mistake.

"Whatever it is that's on your mind, tell me now so we can deal with it. I will not tolerate your wasting my time when I know full well that you are capable of brewing that potion. What the hell is wrong with you?"

She was trembling like a leaf. I advanced on her. We were going to settle this once and for all. Whatever it was, I wanted it out in the open. She didn't answer me even as I backed her up against the table. "I'm giving you one more chance to tell me, before I take the information from you." I didn't really want to invade her mental privacy but this was becoming ridiculous.

"Please, Sir, it's nothing. I'll do better. I'll pay attention."

I sighed. I wanted this done with. I cupped her chin in my fingers and looked into her eyes. I breathed the incantation and slipped into her mind.

I was immediately taken aback by what I saw. At first I thought she was replaying the scene where I had taken a strap to her in front of the Dark Lord, but upon further inspection I realized that he was not present. We were alone.

A moment later I realized that I was not rifling through memories, but fantasies. They were dark, forbidden fantasies that I would never in a million years have expected to find in her mind. I tried to ignore the fact that I was acting as her Dominant in every one of these scenes as I filtered through the torrid images. I wanted the source. I knew that she had been aroused, at least to some degree, by the whipping that I had given her the other day, but even that would not have been enough to fuel this. She had somehow gotten information about my being a Dom, and I wanted to know where it came from.

Some of the information was incorrect. She was envisioning a playroom behind the locked basement doors. I did have a playroom here, and the door was correct, but the room was all wrong. I was quite sure she hadn't actually gotten into the room. She had created a substitute in her mind. Eventually, I found what I was looking for. It was a book. She'd found a book about BDSM on the shelf in my library. I had long ago forgotten about it. She had created the fantasies around the images she saw in the book casting herself as the submissive and me as her Dominant.

I withdrew from her mind, releasing my tight grip on her. It made sense now why she wouldn't tell me. She was probably embarrassed, although she had no reason to be. I had known that she would make a very adept submissive, but being good at something and enjoying it were two different things.

"I'm so sorry, Sir," she sobbed. "I couldn't help it. I saw the book, and I was curious. I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't get it out of my head."

"Shhh," I soothed, pulling her to my chest. "You should have just told me, silly girl. It is my book after all. You obviously have questions, and asking them would have been a much more practical course of action than melting my cauldrons."

I wasn't quiet sure what to do next. I had always worked with experienced submissives in the past, and this was new territory for me. If she wanted to explore this world I would be happy to take her there, but I had a significant number of reservations. She was inexperienced, and despite the lurid nature of her fantasies, I wasn't sure that she really wanted what she thought she wanted.

I didn't think she was ready to really see my playroom yet, but it was painfully obvious that the sexual tension was ruining her ability to think clearly. I had to do something to relieve the tension. She needed to feel like she was able to talk to me.

I lifted her into my arms, and her legs instinctively wrapped around my waist. She pressed her tear stained face into the crook of my neck, still sniffling as I carried her upstairs. I settled on the couch in the library, and shifted her so that she was lying face down over my knees. She knew enough to understand the significance of the position, and her breathing quieted, her embarrassment replaced with anticipation.

"I will give you what you need, Hermione," I said, as I pushed her robes up around her waist. She wore a pleated skirt and plain white cotton knickers that made my cock harden like concrete. Her innocence was overwhelming. I pulled them down over her hips, exposing her beautiful ass. She squirmed in my lap, but did not speak. That was okay. We had plenty of time to work on vocalizing desires.

"Keep your hands flat on the floor," I commanded. She stilled. I pushed her legs apart and slowly pressed a finger into the folds of her pussy. She was dripping with arousal. "You need this very badly don't you?"

"Yes, please," she whispered. Her voice barely audible.

I swatted her quickly three times with the flat palm of my hand. "Louder, Miss Granger."

"Please, Sir," she said. Her voice was tight with need. I spanked her again, a little harder with a little more time in between. Five this time. I wasn't sure how many she would need.

"Ask me for what you want," I said, as I dipped two fingers into her wet heat. She bucked against my hand, and I withdrew it. I swatted her low on her ass, close to her wet cunt. "Tell me," I growled.

"Please spank me and finger me until I come."

Now we were getting somewhere. I fulfilled her request, placing overlapping hand prints on her ass and thighs until my hand stung. When I was finished, her face was once again streaked with tears. She was writhing in my lap, struggling to keep her hands on the floor.

"Good girl," I said softy, pulling her up from the floor and re-situating her in my lap so that her ass was pressed against my raging erection, her back against my chest. Her head lolled back onto my shoulder as I pushed her thighs apart, keeping them wide spread with my knees. "Now relax and enjoy, beautiful."

I vanished her clothing, finding it far too cumbersome, and she gasped as the cold air reached her skin. I pulled her back against my chest, and she relaxed into my warmth. I did not make her wait. I used my left hand to pluck at her beautiful hard nipples while I stroked her wet pussy with my right. It took barely a brush against her clit before she was crying out her release.

I kissed her hair gently as she came down from her high. She looked frazzled and unkempt with her wild hair and red eyes. Absolutely beautiful.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I suggested. "Then we are going to talk about this."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**HPOV**

He carried me to a bathroom, neither his nor mine, that contained a large old-fashioned clawfoot tub perched ostentatiously in the middle of the room. He sat me on the counter by the sink and then started the magical tap. The water flowed freely from the silver spigot, but there were no pipes attached. My parents would get a real kick out of that.

He left the room for a moment, returning with a small bottle in his hand. He added a few drops from the bottle to the running bath water and the room filled with the delicate smell of lavender. He rolled the sleeves of his starched white shirt up over his elbows before lifting me from the counter and depositing me in the deliciously warm bath. The heat felt wonderful on my aching legs and lower back. It stung a little on my arse, reminding me of the wicked things that he had just done. Had he really just spanked and finger-fucked me of his own free will?

I once again encountered too many emotions to process. I felt exposed and violated. He invaded my mind and filtered through my most private thoughts. I was humiliated and terrified. I wanted things, sexual things, and it seemed immoral to want them. The experiences that I was craving felt in so many ways dirty and demeaning, but I wanted them anyway, and I was half disgusted with myself over it. I was a strong, bright, independent woman. Why did I crave his attention in this way?

"Lean back, Hermione." His voice was gentle but sure behind me. I did as he asked, and felt the tips of his fingers at the base of my neck. He knelt on the floor behind me, his hands and forearms reaching over the lip of the tub. "Relax, let me have control of your body," he said. "I promise you I will answer your questions, but I want to wash your hair first. Just keep breathing."

I followed his instructions and enjoyed the feel of the warm water on my shoulders as he tipped my head back and soaked my hair. I lost myself in his gentle ministrations as he shampooed my hair and massaged my scalp.

"That book," he started, bringing my focus back to him, "was a gift. I'm not sure that I've even read it all, although I have looked through it. I had forgotten that it was on the shelf. I have others that might interest you more. That one is not my favorite on the subject. The others are in my bedroom, however, so if you wish to read them, I will have to retrieve them for you."

"I did not mean to invade your privacy, Sir." I felt the need to apologize, but he limited my ability to speak, tilting my head back further and rinsing the soap from my hair.

"I know you didn't. I told you that you could have access to the books in the library. If I had remembered that it was there, I would have moved it."

"You moved the other ones?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"There are some things that I prefer to keep private in my life, Miss Granger. You are my former student, and if you did not have the particular inclination towards sex that you have, I doubt that you would have found knowledge about my sexual habits comforting. I also would prefer that the boy wonder and his side-kick remain blissfully ignorant."

"So it is your habit?"

"_What_ is my habit?"

"Being a Dominant."

"It is my preference."

"Do you have a submissive?"

"Not at the moment."

"Why not?"

"You ask an extravagant number of questions."

I blushed. I knew that I did. I had done pretty well with restraining myself lately, but there were just so many things that I wanted to know. "I'm sorry, Sir. I'm just terribly curious."

"Hold your questions for a moment, and I will explain. When I'm finished you can ask a few more." He started at the ends of my hair, working a conditioner in and slowly working up to the roots.

"As you are aware, I have little free time. Relationships are not... easy, for me. Caring for a submissive, although pleasurable, is a lot of work. If my life was not what it is, I would consider collaring a sub, but that's not really a viable option right now. I am connected with other Dominants in the community who occasionally will lend me their submissives, or will come to me for training in a particular area."

He swished his wand as he spoke and a cup lifted from the sink and flew to his hand. From the corner of my eye I could see him enlarge it slightly before filling it with clean water from the tap to rinse my hair again. I tipped my head, so that the water would not fall into my eyes.

"The things that I saw in your mind suggest that you've formed a few incorrect assumptions. One book is hardly enough to give you a true understanding of a very complex lifestyle. I know that you have procured the bulk of your knowledge from books, but this is one area where I feel that experience is truly the best teacher."

I could see that. If I had discovered that book before he whipped me, I would probably have felt very differently about it.

"I do not want you to confuse this lifestyle however, with what you have experienced in the presence of the Dark Lord. What I do for that man and what I do in my playroom are not the same thing. They are not even related. To an outsider they may appear to be similar, but what happens in the Dark Lord's stronghold is rape and torture in its most base form. Never forget that, Hermione. That is not consensual or controlled. Its only purpose is the entertainment of a very sick man. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir." I answered. I did understand, and certainly I knew that these types of relationships needed to be built on trust. Consent was quite clearly not given for most of the women who went before Voldemort. I _had _consented though, and now I understood why it was so important to him. Knowing that he had my consent probably made it easier for him to feel like a Dom rather than a torturer.

He retrieved a soft washcloth from the rack and soaked it thoroughly before rubbing soap from another bottle into it. He was facing me now, having moved to the side of the tub. He started with my legs, touching me gently as he washed me. It felt wonderful, and I was amazed by how comfortable it was. I did not feel nearly as embarrassed as I thought I might.

"Tell me what appeals to you about what you have seen and experienced," he commanded.

I blushed again. The comfort that I had experienced only a moment ago dissipated. Could I really explain this? I had no idea where to start. I was only beginning to understand it in my own head.

"I asked you a question, Miss Granger," he stated when I didn't respond.

"I'm not sure how to answer, Sir. I'm afraid I haven't quite sorted it out in my own mind. It's an unusual feeling for me, but this information doesn't fall into the typical categories. I realize that I want things, and I feel like I shouldn't want them. It feels completely illogical."

"What do you want?" His hands moved steadily up my leg, caressing as much as washing my thigh.

"You know what I want. You've seen it in my head. Why do you ask me this? Are you trying to humiliate me?"

"No, sweet girl. I just want to hear you say it." Just then his long fingers came in contact with my core, and I understood. Just like he had asked for my consent, he was now asking permission. By telling him what I wanted, I was giving him the freedom to provide it.

His thumb brushed against my clit, and I rose up in the water to meet him. "Please," I whimpered.

"Tell me."

I closed my eyes. I was too embarrassed to look at him. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as he worked his fingers between my legs. "I want to feel that way again," I whispered.

I could feel his breath, cool against my neck. "What way?" His voice was barely audible.

"The way I felt when you were..." I couldn't breathe. I tried to still the rise and fall of my chest. "When you were... with the strap, I mean... in..." His fingers worked faster, and I dropped my head to the side uselessly against his shoulder. "I want... I want you to..." His other hand gently cupped my breast, and then I felt the warmth of his mouth on my hard nipple, and I cried out.

I curled my wet hands into fists around his starched white shirt, not caring that I was soaking his clothing or pulling him into the tub. I needed him, and nothing else mattered.

He lifted me out of the water and placed me on a towel on the hard tile floor. I had a moment to register the discomfort, but then his lean, strong body was stretched over mine, and it no longer mattered. He was gloriously naked, and I was never more thankful for the convenience of magic. I wrapped my legs around his waist, wanting desperately to feel his weight on top of me.

"Do you want me to fuck you, Hermione?" he growled in my ear. "Do you want my cock in your tight little cunt."

"Yes, please!" I cried. He moved so quickly and gracefully that I had no time to register the sensations. My wrists were encircled by unseen restraints and pulled tight above my head. I cried out at the loss. I wanted to touch him. His mouth was once again covering my breast as he moved my legs and tilted my hips.

"Such a needy little thing," he whispered. And then he was inside of me, and I could feel nothing but him.

He pinned me under his slight weight and began a steady rhythm that made my entire body cry out for release. I struggled against my restraints, but the harder I struggled the tighter they became. He repositioned me, taking control of my body, but it just wasn't enough.

"Shhhh." His voice was soft in my ear. "Relax, beautiful. Don't fight. Give in to me."

I couldn't help it. I needed more of him. I needed his mastery.

**SPOV**

She was magnificent. It had been my plan to simply bathe her and then sit her in front of the fire with a handful of books, but she was so fucking responsive. It was impossible to deny myself the pleasures of her body. I didn't try. She was incredibly hot and tight around me as I sheathed myself inside her. Knowing that she was giving herself to me willingly made me want to pleasure her beyond her deepest understanding.

The scenes from her fantasies played behind my eyelids as I rocked deep into her welcoming folds. To know that it was not just the pleasure that she craved but the submission and discipline as well overwhelmed me.

She fought hard against her restraints and writhed on the hard floor. I smiled down at her struggling form. She didn't yet understand that fighting would only prolong the torture. I rested my body over hers, still supporting most of my weight on my arms, but using my chest to restrict her movements. Her breathing was shallow and erratic. I could feel her heart beat wildly as I cupped her breast in my hand and ran the pad of my thumb over her pebbled nipple. I slowed my pace and gave her more shallow thrusts. She moaned and shifted her hips trying to take me deeper.

I chuckled into her neck. She was fighting so hard for what I could so easily give her if she would just relax and let me push her over. "Listen to me, dear one. I want you to surrender. Trust me. Give me control."

She stilled a little more this time, her hips rocking sensually against mine, adapting to my rhythm instead of clashing with me. "Yes, that's right."

"Please, Sir," she begged. "I need... I can't..." I loved her incoherent ramblings. It made me so hard to see such a brilliant, articulate young woman become so lost in sensation that she was reduced to unintelligible pleading.

I pushed forward, giving her more of my cock. She let out the sexiest little whimper as I filled her. "That's my good girl. Take it all."

I fucked her with deep, slow strokes. I wanted her to feel my possession of her, inch by inch. I wanted her to hear my voice in her head every time she even thought about sex. "Is this what you need, you greedy little slut?" She was wreaking havoc on my normally firm self-control with her young, firm body and her desperate cries.

Never had a woman had so much of an effect on me. I accelerated the pace, giving her the friction and force that she needed. Her whole body trembled under me. I could feel her tight pussy clamping down around me, and I knew that she wasn't far from orgasm. I wouldn't hold out much longer either. "You belong to me," I growled, pounding her into the unforgiving floor.

"Please," she cried out as I held her still and fucked her mercilessly.

"Say it, Hermione. Tell me that you belong to me. You're mine."

"I'm yours," she panted. "Yours, Sir."

I bit down hard at the juncture between her shoulder and her graceful neck, marking her as mine. "Come for me. I want to feel you fall apart around my cock." Three powerful thrusts later, she did as I asked and bathed my cock with her wet heat. I let the power of her orgasm give me my own, and I released my seed deep inside of her.

Half an hour later I lay awake, alone in my bed. She might have been mine tonight, but I knew that it was temporary. Eventually she would need to leave my house and go back to school, on to work, or most likely off to fight the war. I didn't like the tightening sensation that I felt in my chest when I thought about that last option. She was a strong woman with a formidable mind and wand. The Order would undoubtedly need her.

I had two options really. I could put an end to this nonsense now, fulfill my role to The Order and the Dark Lord and keep her at arms length in my house. Or, I could give in to this temporary arrangement, using her for my pleasure for however long she stayed with me.

Knowing how stubborn she was, I didn't think that she'd be okay with going back to just being my kidnapped houseguest and lab partner. She had a thirst for knowledge and experience that was unparalleled. Now that she had gotten a tiny glimpse into this world, she would be unstoppable. She would become a submissive regardless of my actions, of that I was sure. It was only a matter of time before she found a Dom. I was first in line for the role, and I needed to determine if I was willing to accept the position.

I was an extremely possessive man, and I knew that about myself. I did not look forward to training her, shaping her into an object of my fantasy, and then losing her. I knew other Doms in the community that would be happy to have her when I was finished with her training, but the mental picture of her crying out under the body of another Dom did not sit well with me. I did not share.

Did I want a submissive? I rolled the question around in my mind. I had a lot of experience as a Dom, admittedly much of it was forced under the reign of the Dark Lord, but my experience was limited primarily to single sessions with a wide variety of submissives. I had collared only one other consistent sub and that arrangement had lasted only three months. My life was not particularly well suited for the management of a submissive. Miss Granger was an unusual exception as she was gifted to me by the Dark Lord and required to live in my home. Not having to hide this relationship from either side was incredibly helpful. I was not endangering her with my very presence as I would most others. She was a target with or without me. If anything, she had a greater chance of staying alive while she was with me.

In the end it came down to what I wanted. I wanted her physically, of that I had no doubt, but, was I willing to also accept the responsibility to care for her as all Doms cared for their subs? I forced myself to sleep some time later, the decision still looming in my mind.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**HPOV**

I went down to breakfast the next morning more confused than ever. I had frequently fantasized about the things that I saw in that book, but never had I really imagined that any of it would ever happen. I would have laid money on the fact that Professor Snape was completely uninterested in me. Despite the recent familiarity in our relationship, and the sexual encounters that we'd shared, both forced and chosen, I still sort of thought that he hated me.

I had never known a more complex man. It was nearly impossible to discern the reasons behind his actions. So much of his life was a complex web of secrets and false allegiances. He was a tough man to know. I wondered if he even knew, with absolute certainty, who he was any more.

Then to find out that he acted as a sexual Dominant on top of everything else in his life, well it was nothing short of amazing. Other Doms came to him for training? When did he have time for all that? I hadn't really been surprised when he said that he did not have a full time submissive. Even for a man so good at keeping secrets, that would have been hard to hide.

So what now? Did I want to be his submissive? Would he even consider such a proposal? It somehow seemed wrong to even make a proposal. How did a Dom go about choosing a sub? It wasn't like I could just submit my qualifications for candidacy. I was completely at a loss as to how to proceed.

He was sitting at the kitchen table, a stack of books at his right hand and an omelet untouched on the plate in front of him. Tink set my own breakfast down a moment later. "Sit, Miss Granger," he finally said, breaking the quiet. I sat down as instructed and looked at my breakfast. I wasn't hungry.

"I believe you and I need to have a discussion. Clearly our arrangement has changed, and we need to define new parameters. Do you agree?"

I nodded my head. He started in on his breakfast. I lifted my fork and poked at my eggs.

He passed a couple of loose sheets of parchment across the table to me. "This," he said, pausing to sip his coffee, "is a submissive contract. I would like for you to take the morning to study it. I have also brought out a few books for your reference. Anything that you do not understand in the contract should be explained in one of these. Anything that you still don't understand after reading, we will discuss. Understand?"

"Are you asking me to be your submissive?"

"No. I am asking you to read and understand the contract." I nodded my head. It made little sense that I would understand the contract if I had no hope of signing it, but I was sure that he had a plan, and I was trying very hard to just obey my orders as given.

"After you've finished your research, and have a good understanding of what is expected of a submissive, I would like for you to write an essay for me on why you would or would not want to be a submissive. Should you decide that you are in fact interested, I would like a second essay on what you would look for in an ideal Dominant."

Look for in an ideal Dominant? Was he suggesting that he was going to try to find one for me? A man other than himself? I had never considered that possibility before, and the whole idea made me cold.

"Eat, Miss Granger, or I will feed you forcibly." I looked up slightly startled. I had been lost in my own head while my eggs slowly grew cold on my plate. I took a bite and tried to swallow. The food stuck in my throat.

"I will be in the lab. You may work wherever you feel most comfortable." He continued his breakfast, and I tried hard to mirror his actions, despite my lack of appetite.

"You don't want me to help in the lab?" I was disappointed. I was excited to do this research, but helping in the lab was the one thing that I had been able to do to make his life easier. Without that, I was just a burdensome houseguest.

"I value your assistance, Miss Granger, but I want you to take care of this first. I'll not have you destroying any more potions as a result of this subject. When we have our parameters established, and I am confident that this matter is at a controllable level for you, you may join me in the lab again."

"I'll get it under control," I answered surely.

"See that you do."

He stood then, sweeping away from the table. Tink quietly removed his dishes, and I pushed mine away from me. I started working right there at the kitchen table. I began a brand new journal for my research. I didn't think that this information would fit well in any of the other subjects I had been studying.

The first page of the contract was a standard legal disclaimer that stated that both parties were over the age of seventeen, of sound mind, and choosing to sign of their own free will. The second section covered the expectations of the Dominant for the submissive. It included things like _the submissive shall use a safeword in the even that he/she becomes uncomfortable with a situation beyond the typical apprehension expected in play. _It also defined what the safewords were to be and procedures to take in the event that the submissive could not speak. Those things had not been filled in on this particular copy as it was assumed that the Dominant would set those specific parameters for each individual submissive.

There were several paragraphs about the general health and well being of the submissive. _The submissive is to inform the Dominant of any health issues that might affect the level of play. Any health issues that are the result of play or punishment are to be addressed immediately._

It went on to discuss the use of a neutral third party mediator in the event that there was an irresolvable problem between Dominant and submissive. It also addressed the termination of the contract. So far it was all pretty easy to understand, and largely common sense. The next few pages were where it became complicated. These were the specific guidelines set up for individual Dominants and submissives. I pulled the stack of reference books towards me.

The next page of the contract had a long checklist. Next to each item on the list were two columns, one for the Dominant and one for the submissive. In each column were check boxes for "hard limit," "soft limit," and then a blank space where a number could be written. The numbers were to indicate on a scale of 1-5 how open you were to trying a particular activity, or for an experienced person to indicate a level of enjoyment.

Definition, Hard Limit: An area of play that is unacceptable under any circumstances for either the Dominant or the submissive.

I copied the definition carefully into my notebook. I couldn't think off of the top of my head what my hard limits might be, but the list was pretty long. I was sure there would be one somewhere.

Definition, Soft Limit: An area of play that is questionable for either the Dominant or the submissive. Play defined in soft limits can be practiced within bounds but is to be recognized as a potential risk area.

I could think of a few of those from the book I had seen earlier. There were things that held kind of a morbid appeal. Canes for example looked extremely painful and very intimidating. However, I would also have thought that whips of all kinds would be out for me but after some of the experiences I'd recently been though, I wasn't sure any more.

I skipped over the checklist for a moment and reviewed the rest of the contract. I knew that researching everything on the list was going to take a while. There was only one remaining page and it basically allowed for the definition of other variables in the relationship. A Dominant could use it to define lifestyle issues such as sleeping arrangements, exercise routines, dietary needs, and financial matters. It would not be needed in some relationships at all, particularly if the submissive did not live with the Dominant. More long-term arrangements, however, could have boundaries to protect both parties from invading the necessary personal space or time limits.

If I became his submissive would Severus set these kinds of guidelines for me? He was always nagging me about what I was eating anyway. We had largely defined these things when I first came to live here. Would those arrangements change?

I pushed the thoughts from my mind as best I could. We were not yet at the stage where I was to be asking those kinds of questions. My task for the moment was to determine if I wanted to be a submissive at all. I was pretty sure that I already knew the answer to that question. I wanted it very badly. But, would I still want it outside of my relationship with Severus? I wasn't sure.

I collected the books and materials into a neat pile and then carried them to my bedroom. I was going to dive into the meat of the contract: the checklist, and I wanted to be comfortable doing it.

**SPOV**

I left her at the table and went down to the lab. I had a lot of work to do. I had become accustomed to her help, and I was lagging behind without her. I started my brewing and tried to organize my thoughts. When I woke this morning, I had determined that the choice was not truly mine to make. Hermione was an intelligent young woman. She deserved to have some say in what she wanted. Granted, I probably knew what she wanted better than she did, but that didn't mean that I should make the decision on her behalf.

As for my part, I was curious to see what her research turned up. She often surprised me with the way that her mind put things together. I was preparing for the unexpected as much as possible.

The contract that I had given her to review was not the one that I typically used. I had written my own version several years ago and updated it as needed with each use. I gave her a more standard example from the community that was more inclusive. She needed to see the full spectrum of what was considered acceptable in the community. Even if she began as my submissive, she would eventually need another Dominant, and I wanted her to realize that no two Doms were alike.

It would take her most of the day to work through the checklist. I was quite sure that much of what was on there would be unfamiliar to her. In some ways I really wanted to stay and watch her reaction to each item. It would be very telling. But, a submissive had a right to her privacy; good Doms did not pressure in areas where general knowledge was concerned. She needed to know, and she needed to learn without my breathing down her back.

I tried not to get too far ahead of myself. One of the things I had learned was that you can never predict the behavior of another human being too far into the future. Staying one step ahead was what I was best at, but if you got too far ahead, the variables were likely to change. You needed to remain flexible. I was going to wait until Miss Granger was finished before taking any further steps.

My perimeter alarm sounded a moment later, pulling me out of both my musing and my potion. What dreadful creature had the Dark Lord sent my way now? I opened the door to find the ever-disgusting Peter Pettigrew.

"What?" I asked. No need to make him feel more welcome than he was.

"The Dark Lord wants the mudblood."

"What time does he want me to bring her?"

"He doesn't want you," he sneered. "He wants me to bring the mudblood to him now. Without you."

Oh. Fuck. He was pissed about Potter and he wanted to torture her for answers. That also meant that he thought she was somehow in contact with her friends. Either he was grasping at straws, or he suspected me. I sincerely hoped it was the former.

"Wait here," I said, slamming the door in his face.

I strode purposely thorough the house. I didn't have much time. I found her in her room, on the bed with books surrounding her.

"Up, now," I commanded. "We need to get you ready."

"Ready for what?"

"You're going to see the Dark Lord, without me. Now. I need to modify your memory."

"What!"

"Hold still." I tilted her chin and looked into her eyes. I picked out all of the information that she had in her head pertaining to Potter. I pulled the memories from her mind and cast them into a vial. She could have them back later.

I closed my eyes and pulled a memory from my own mind, planting it in hers to fill some of the gaps. Thankfully she had a ton of fantasy material in her head that we could work with. The Dark Lord, for all his skills, was not particularly adept at Legilimency. I thought it was unlikely that he could tell truth from fantasy. Especially because he would have no reason to believe that this girl would have such fantasies. Before she could react, I also dumped a painkiller down her throat and a muscle relaxant. She could blame any unclear brain function on the experimental mix of drugs I'd given her.

The rat was pounding on the door again. I had little time left. "Listen to me." She looked up, her eyes still slightly foggy from the hasty job I'd done messing with her brain.

"Do not anger him. Do whatever he says with great enthusiasm if you wish to stay alive." I grabbed her robe and hauled her out into the hallway still taking. "Do not fight. The less you fight the sooner he will tire of you."

"Sir?" she asked, still clearly confused. I shoved her out the door and into Peter's grubby hands. I nearly hexed the look of excitement off his face. He was far too eager to be touching my slave.

"Keep your hands off of my possession, rat. The Dark Lord may use her, but she still belongs to me. I will search her mind when she gets back, and if I find that you've molested her, I'll hex the bullocks off of you."

The crack of Apparation signaled their leaving. I pressed my forehead to the door jam. There was nothing that I could do for her now.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**HPOV**

What! My mind was whirling. What just happened? I felt like someone had smacked me in the back of the head with a two-by-four. I shook my head trying to clear it, and the world swam into focus. Peter Petigrew was dragging me by the bicep down a stone corridor.

I had a vague recollection of Professor Snape telling me that I was to see Voldemort, but I couldn't remember why. I had a feeling that it had something to do with Harry, but that didn't make much sense as I hadn't seen Harry since my abduction. Wouldn't the Dark Lord know more about Harry than I would? He was still holding him captive wasn't he? I felt very strongly like I was missing a piece of the puzzle.

Peter threw me down on the stairs at the foot of the Dark Lord's throne. The room appeared to be empty save for the three of us. I kept my head bowed as submissively as I was able. I wasn't exactly sure where I had learned it, but I felt that this was proper behavior.

The cold stone was far from comfortable under me, but it didn't last long as I soon found myself flying through the air. My arms lifted of their own accord above my head and were attached to a chain that hung from the ceiling. My feet barely touched the ground. I immediately felt the strain in my shoulders and lower back.

A cold pit of fear grew in my stomach, but I didn't lift my eyes, which were fixed, firmly on the tops of my black Mary Jane's. The Dark Lord hissed in that snake-like voice of his and quite suddenly I was left naked. The tops of my shoes replaced by the chipped, pale-pink toenail polish that I had applied the night that I lost my virginity.

My head snapped up, and I was frozen in place. The Dark Lord approached me from the front, moving forward with his terrible sunken black eyes looking into mine. I wanted to look away but I was unable. I felt it, just barely. It was like a scratching at the back of my skull. He was rummaging around in my head. I couldn't see everything that he saw, but I got glimpses of all of my previous sexual encounters with my professor, my Master. I caught flashes of his pale body in between images of my own.

The Dark Lord watched him fuck me, whip me, collar me. I was surprised at the feelings this produced in me. I felt nothing but adoration and arousal with regards to my Master, but I was angered by having to share these private memories.

He withdrew from my mind with a roar, and I was left feeling violated and empty. I was still very confused, but one thing was abundantly clear now. The Dark Lord was angry. Very angry. I didn't understand what had happened until about ten seconds into it when my brain finally supplied the appropriate information. This was what the Cruciatus curse felt like. There were no words. The pain was simply unfathomable. I must have passed out, because when I was next able to open my eyes, Voldemort had moved back to his throne and was no longer carrying out my torture.

My back stung with excruciating pain. Something was running down my legs, and I wasn't sure if it was blood or urine. I couldn't see from my current position. I heard the whip whistle through the air, and I made the connection to the first time I had heard it. It was the same as Severus had used on me my first day before the Dark Lord. A single-tail, he had called it. The first time it had brought pleasure. This one produced only pain. The torture was made all the worse by not seeing my torturer. At least knowing that my professor was behind me held some vague assurance of life. This unknown was terrifying.

The whip struck my lower back and tip curled slightly around my hip taking a chunk of my flesh with it as it withdrew. I screamed myself hoarse.

I've no idea how long they tortured me, but I when I woke in my bed in Severus' house, my memories of Harry and Ron were once again in tact, and it was only today that blurred. The highlight to the whole experience was my lack of ability to remember it. Part of me realized that he must have removed the memory of it from my mind, but I didn't want it back. What I could recall was enough.

I tried to roll over, but firm hands pressed to my arms to still me. "Don't move, Hermione," he said. "I haven't finished healing you yet."

I closed my eyes and settled myself. His voice was soothing as he spoke healing incantations. His fingers were graceful as they danced across my back. I drifted in an out of reality and fantasy. When he was done, he lay down beside me, and he allowed me to curl myself into his lean frame. I fell asleep that way cradled in his warmth. _My protector._

**SPOV**

I sat in the kitchen, holding a cup of tea that I did not drink and waiting for her return. I hoped she would return. Truthfully, there was a strong possibility that she may not.

Lucius dumped her on my doorstep two hours later, naked, reeking of piss, and covered in her own blood. She was thankfully unconscious but still alive.

I brought her in and set about healing her. I started with her mind. Knowing what had caused the injuries was often helpful in determining the best way to treat them. I replayed the events of the afternoon. It was far from pleasant. The Dark Lord had sifted through her mind and found no trace of the information that he sought. Enraged, he'd sustained the torture curse on her for no less than two full minutes. She was lucky she'd only been conscious for the first half.

After that he'd called Malfoy and had her whipped. He'd been particularly vicious; no doubt it had more to do with me than her. I was a little surprised that he hadn't raped her on top of everything else, but I guess two hours of sustained torture had been enough for them.

I put her memory back together, giving her back her thoughts about Potter and pulling some of the more gruesome memories of the afternoon away. She would recover faster without those.

I gave her a strong sedative so that she would not wake as I bathed her. I knew from experience the pain that cleaning a wound caused. Her back loosely resembled hamburger. When I had cleared away enough of the blood to see the injury, I began the process of knitting her back together. It took me over an hour, and she did stir before I had completely finished. She obediently let me continue healing her anyway, and I was once again reminded of her natural submission. She complied with my wishes so easily.

She mumbled unintelligibly for the next few hours. She seemed to be in a state somewhere between sleep and a drug-induced twilight. I was desperately hoping that a lucid mental state would occur when she had slept it off. She would not be the first to have suffered permanent mental damage at the hands of Tom Riddle. Such a brilliant mind. Such a waste. She quieted when I held her, so I wrapped my arms around her and hoped for her recovery.

When I woke, it was just barely light outside. Her room was cast in a dull grey. The girl was still asleep in my arms, her wild hair fanned all over my chest. I knew that I needed to get up, to return to my own room, but I allowed myself the pleasure of her naked body against my own for a moment longer.

When I did move, I underestimated the depth of her sleep. She woke. I could have easily pushed her back to sleep, but she had been through a lot in the last few hours, and I thought that less magic right now would be better. She needed to recover without having anyone alter her natural state.

I brushed her hair back from her face and looked into her sleepy eyes. "How do you feel?"

"I'm achy," she answered. _Oh thank Merlin._

"That's to be expected. I will give you a pain potion if you like, but really I think that sleep will help more."

"I'm a bit sick to my stomach. I'm not sure that I'd keep the potion down."

I nodded. She may be right. "Can you move all of your limbs? Fingers and toes?"

Her body flexed slowly under the blanket. She would be fine. Her eyes closed, and I left her bed.

I ate breakfast quickly. I was rather displeased with myself. I had skipped dinner and neglected my work in the lab. I was falling further behind as a result of her presence. Certainly she needed to be healed, but I had spent at least three hours simply watching her sleep, and another two waiting for the Dark Lord to finish with her. What the hell was wrong with me? I set to work, wishing that she were well enough to help.

I was angered by how frequently I wanted to go and check on her. Today's brewing was for Hogwarts and not completing it was simply not acceptable. With Death Eaters running the school, the rate at which medicinal potions were needed for students was dramatically increased. Fortunately, I had a fairly productive morning, ignoring the urge to behave like a nursemaid.

When I took a short break for lunch, the Granger girl was already in the kitchen, sitting stiffly, but making an attempt at her soup. When I asked, she offered that she was feeling better. She would be sore for a few days.

"Sir?"

"What?"

"I, um, I know that you gave me an assignment that I've yet to complete, but I'm not quite feeling up to that today. I was wondering if I could help you in the lab instead? I promise that I won't make mistakes. I won't even do any brewing. I'll just prepare ingredients for you."

"Are you sure that you feel up to it? You can go back to bed."

"I don't think I can sleep any more right now. If I get tired, I'll lay down."

Part of me wanted to argue, but I knew that it would go much faster with her help. I also knew from experience how annoying it was to have other people tell you what you were and were not ready for in terms of recovery. Madam Pomfrey had forever been trying to keep me in bed when I was perfectly capable of being productive.

"Fine. Come with me."

She sat on a stool across from me, working with the precision that I had become accustomed to. We worked mostly in silence, but a comfortable rhythm was reestablished between us.

"Thank you, Sir," she finally said, softly, "for returning my memories, and uh, healing me."

I didn't quite no how to respond. Saving other people's asses was usually a thankless job. Not many expressed gratitude in my direction.

"You've done the same for me, Miss Granger."

We shared an awkward moment of silence as the record player moved from one concerto into the next but when the strings resumed their melody it faded. We worked together blessedly uninterrupted for the rest of the afternoon. She went to bed early, and I sat awake in front of the library fireplace with a book unread in my lap.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**HPOV**

I went to bed early and as a result woke early. I felt better after a good rest. My back was still a little sore, but I was mending well.

The books that Severus had given me for research two days before were stacked in a neat pile at my bedside. I decided to put some time in on my essay before breakfast. I carried the stack down to the kitchen table. Tink was just waking up, and she put one some tea for me.

Two days ago I had barely gotten started on the checklist so I started over again at the beginning. The list had started with fairly typical things, kissing, touching, and nudity. I paused at kissing for a moment. When Professor Snape had given me his requests for our first night together, "no kissing" had been on the short list of rules. If we were to enter into this type of an agreement would that change? I had no way of knowing.

I moved along the list. Oral Sex. Fingering. Intercourse. I had neither real surprises nor objections yet.

Anal sex. Well, I wasn't too sure about that one, but I knew what it was. My job at the moment was not to determine what I liked and didn't like, but rather to simply make a broad decision on submission in general. I kept going. Fisting, and then below it, anal fisting. Surely that didn't mean what I thought it did. I flipped open one of the books. Oh God. It meat exactly what I thought it did. _I think I've just found my first hard limit. _

I closed the book rather rapidly and then moved on. Toys. There were a lot of things listed in this section. Among the books was a catalog. I hadn't been sure why it was included in the stack of research materials, but it made sense now. The catalog better described the different kinds of toys (wow there were a lot of different kinds) and how they could be used. _Bloody Hell. _The wizard catalog had moving pictures to demonstrate some of the items they sold. In one picture a woman had her legs spread wide open and a sleek toy was moving in and out of her at a steady rate all on its own. I looked at the caption. _Hands-free Self Sex Vibrator. Three sex speeds with vibrating action. Feels just like the real thing._ My eyes widened of their own accord. The witch in the picture pushed a button, and the vibrator sped up. _Good Lord. _I watched as she threw her head back and lifted her hips to meet the toy.

"Find something you like, Miss Granger?"

I jumped a good foot in the air, slamming the catalog shut on the table in front of me. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Watch your language, girl, or I might have to punish you." He smirked at me before taking his seat at the table. I sat back down, stacking the catalog on top of the other books. I couldn't look at it with him here. Especially not when he was talking about punishments. I flushed red.

"How far have you gotten?" he asked. This time he was more serious.

"I, um, I'm about a quarter of the way through the checklist, Sir."

"Good. If you think you can control yourself and are feeling up to it, I would like for you to help me in the lab this morning and focus on your essay this afternoon."

"Of course, Sir."

"Good. Eat."

We ate in relative silence and then went down to the lab together. I was determined to remain focused on my work. I wanted to be here, with him, working. He'd already kicked me out once for becoming consumed with my fantasies. I was going to control this. I mostly succeeded, and we had a productive morning.

I was amazed by how easily we fell into a comfortable working relationship. Things were just so different around him. He had this amazing ability to compartmentalize his life. When he was in the lab he was steady, focused, and productive. In the library, or at meal times he was either the witty conversationalist that I'd come to enjoy or the brooding professor that I remembered. In the presence of the Dark Lord he was a cruel tyrant. And, in the bedroom... or bathroom as the case may be... well... he was incredible, strong, possessive, masculine. _Shit. Was that three beetles or four? _

After lunch he went back to the lab to finish our projects from the morning and sent me off to work on my essay. It was so bizarre in so many ways. I was comfortable taking a homework assignment from him, and I was comfortable having sex with him, but I was not particularly comfortable discussing my sexual homework with him. I blushed at the thought. How had things happened so quickly? Not two months ago I was head girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and now I was studying a submissive's contract for my former professor who was now my… lover? Dominant to be? Master? Slave owner? Thinking about it that way gave me a headache.

I pushed the need to define our relationship aside and focused on my task. I needed to determine if I wanted to be a submissive at all and write an essay about it. I looked at the checklist again. Skipping over the toys for the moment, I moved on to the section that was considered fetish. Most of it dealt with different kinds of clothing: nylons, leather, corsets, shoes, etc. There were a few things that I had to look up and a few more to add to the hard limit list. Never under any circumstances could I see myself going to the bathroom on or around anyone else or really having anything to do with well... any of that.

I took a break after the fetish section. I wasn't sure I could handle too much more. Did he really do all of this stuff? What were his hard limits? If I decided to become his submissive, assuming he would have me, would he be disappointed if I was unwilling to do some of these things? I walked with a head full of questions down to the kitchen. It was still too early for dinner, but I was surprisingly hungry. Tink happily shoved me out of the way when she found me rummaging through the icebox. She made me sit at the table while she got me a snack of cheese and grapes. I also had one of her really wonderful homemade biscuits. Those were becoming a staple food for me.

"Tink?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Was there ever a Mr. Tink?" She looked at me curiously clearly not understanding what I was asking. "I mean, did you ever have another Elf that you were... romantically involved with?"

"Tink has two children, Miss."

Well that was an interesting way of answering the question. "Where are they now?" I asked.

"I is not knowing, Miss."

"When was the last time that you saw them?"

"They was sold away when they was old enough. Mistress didn't see fit to keep them."

_Oh God. How awful. _"You don't know who bought them?"

"Is not Tink's business, Miss."

She dismissed me then with her body language, turning away to scrub a counter top that did not need scrubbing.

I had only meant to ask if she knew what it felt like to be in an undefined relationship and now look at the can of worms I'd opened. I felt terrible. Her children might not even be in Europe any longer. I renewed my mental vow to work for House-Elf welfare. What a dreadful practice. Of course, if Voldemort really did win, slavery would span far wider than just elves. I finished my snack and returned to my room.

**SPOV**

I left the door to the lab open when I went down for the afternoon. I hadn't really intended to eavesdrop on Miss Granger's conversation with Tink, but when it came flowing so easily down the stairs to me, I'll admit I amplified it.

I was glad that she was eating. I was not above forcing her, in one way or another, to take care of herself, but it was better if she was willing to do it on her own. The mind was far better able to cope with difficult situations, if the needs of the body were met first.

When she had first asked Tink about a relationship I had been ready to cast a muting spell. I didn't need to hear the romantic ramblings of a teenage girl, but that wasn't the direction the conversation had gone at all. It was fairly common practice for elves to be bought and sold away from their families. Traditionally, an Elf line would stay in the same house and serve a family line, each generation inheriting the family of the previous generation, but war, financial upset, or any other number of factors could cause a disruption in that pattern.

I filed the information away for future consideration. I wasn't about to go searching for her long lost kids, but you just never knew when you might come across something or someone in an opportune moment. It was good to know as much as possible about those living under your roof.

Shortly after Hermione returned to her room, a plain brown owl arrived from The Order. They wanted to have a meeting tomorrow night, and they wanted me to bring her. I replied, simply saying that I would be in attendance. I said nothing about bringing the girl.

I kicked the thought around in my mind. Was it safe to take her? What would the Dark Lord say if we were caught? What would happen when she saw her friends? Would she still be willing to come back here with me after a brief return to normalcy? I supposed I should at least give her the option, although I would probably regret it.

I was certain that her friends did not know the details of our current arrangement. Potter would have flown off the handle if anyone had told him that his precious bookworm had been forced to have sex with the greasy bat of the dungeons. No. I was sure that they were blissfully ignorant. How well would she be able to hide the truth from her friends?

I considered the matter for a little while longer as I finished my work for the day. Tink was preparing dinner as I made my way through the kitchen. I took a deep breath in the hallway before knocking on her door.

"Come in," she called.

I opened the door and found her in a familiar position on the bed with books and materials spread out around her. Her cheeks were flushed with arousal and I couldn't help but wonder what fantasy it was that had made her feel that way this time.

"Would you come out to the kitchen? There is a matter I would like to discuss with you."

"Of course, Sir." She quickly stacked her materials on the nightstand and then exited the room, moving gracefully past me. I watched the smooth sway of her hips as she walked ahead of me.

"Miss Granger, The Order has scheduled a meeting for tomorrow night, and they have requested that I bring you along. I am sure that you wish to see your friends, but do have some concerns on the matter. I would be willing to take you with certain restrictions in place."

She nodded to indicate that she was listening and so far in agreement. She'd come a long way with her ability to hold her tongue.

"You do wish to go, do you not?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I see no reason to not allow it, but there are things about our current arrangement that your friends can not know. The Order as a whole is aware, at least to a basic degree, of what has happened in the Dark Lord's presence. They are not aware of anything that happens inside of my house. It shall remain that way. Potter and Weasley are aware only that you live here. They are not to know what has transpired between us in any form. Therefore, if you want to come with me, my condition is that you allow me to cast a secrecy spell on you before we go. I can't allow you to discuss our relationship with them."

"I wouldn't tell them, Sir. I promise you that I would keep the secret if you need me to."

"I appreciate that, Miss Granger, and I would like to trust you. However, I do not trust Weasley. Remus tells me that he has become increasingly inquisitive about your situation. I fully expect that he and Potter will try anything in their means to pry information from you. I can not allow the unnecessary risk."

A wrinkle formed on her brow. She was disappointed. She thought that I didn't trust her. She let out a small sigh but then agreed to my terms.

We ate dinner together and discussed other topics comfortably. I asked for an update on her essay, and she told me that it was nearly finished. She planned to work further this evening and have it ready for me to read tomorrow. I was very interested to see what she had concluded.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 **

Submission by Hermione Granger

When I was a young child, my parents, who are Muggle dentists, saw fit to teach me the excellent habit of brushing my teeth. I did not particularly care for the activity, but by the age of five I was able to understand the logic in it. I had enough faith in them, both as professionals and parents, to trust them to make wise decisions on my behalf.

When I received my Hogwarts letter, I suffered a moment of doubt. The people whom I had trusted to foster my education and wellbeing had been completely ignorant of magic. I wondered at first how they could have been so unaware. What else had they missed? Or, what else had they chosen not to tell me?

However, I soon came to realize that ignorance in one subject did not void the trust that they had earned over eleven years of good parenting. Despite learning magic and experiencing a whole world to which I had previously been unknowing, I still trusted my dental health care to my parents. Why? Because years of living in obedience to them had not failed me.

I now face another much larger issue of trust and obedience. To trust as a submissive is to give consent physically, emotionally, and mentally. Just as my parents were ignorant to the ways of magic, I was previously unaware to the lifestyle that is now presented to me. As I sought out wisdom within the walls of Hogwarts, I now seek a new kind of mentorship.

Through my research, I have concluded that there are a great many things that can produce arousal in me physically. If I were to look objectively at a scale of sexual preferences, I would venture to suggest that I was more open than the average witch or wizard to trying adventurous activities. Although I would implement a handful of hard limits, I do not think that my list would be longer than is typical for a new submissive. I am lacking the experience to truly know how I feel about much of my research, but in theory I would welcome the opportunity to learn through hands-on exploration.

I could express my desire to be bound with rope and taken aggressively from behind, or my eagerness to feel the heightened sensation of touch while blindfolded, but in truth I don't believe that those desires are what make me want to be a submissive. What makes me want to be a submissive is my desire to trust and obey.

In this essay, I was charged with the task of determining whether or not I would wish to become a sexual submissive. The second directive was to outline the qualities that I would look for in an ideal Dominant. I fear that I cannot answer the first without the second for the very nature of submission to me is rooted in the foundation of trust. The choice to become a submissive has far less to do with sex, toys, fetishes, and punishment and a great deal more to do with a willingness to put my very life into the hands of another. Such action requires the acknowledgment that the one giving the directive is both wise and worthy of trust. A submissive cannot exist in the absence of her Dominant.

The ideal Dominant would be unfailingly committed to my wellbeing, and dedicated to stretching my limits, furthering my education, and fostering my mind. He would be male, physically able, intelligent, and exceptional with magic. He would be more experienced than myself in both this lifestyle and life in general. He would know my needs before I knew them myself, and he would delight in the pleasures that I could offer him with both my body and my obedience.

Obedience is an area in which I have historically excelled. I have developed a keen ability to follow directions as given, and thus far it has served me well. I have, of course, had several blemishes on my otherwise untarnished record. Doing what I felt was right, against the better judgment of others, has undeniably lead me into some potentially dangerous situations. Fortunately for me, I have had excellent help in my times of need.

If you will permit it, I would like to speak frankly as if in a letter rather than a typical assigned work. I am finding it difficult to express my thoughts clinically when I know that I have an intended audience of only one. The truth is, just as I did not trust my parents solely because they were my assigned legal guardians. I do not trust you because of your position of authority over me. I trust you because you have always acted on my behalf, for my benefit, even when I was unaware.

I can recall very clearly a thought that came to me in a time of intense fear. As you were bending me over the whipping bench in the Dark Lord's chambers, I remember thinking to myself that there was no one I would trust more with the task at hand than you. You have proven your wisdom and trustworthiness over and over again to me. You have displayed the ideal qualities that I would seek in a Dominant time and again without my asking or foreknowledge.

As a result, through my process of research and self-study, I have come to this one firm conclusion: I do not wish to be a submissive; I wish to be your submissive.

I do of course realize that two parties are necessary to sign a contract. Should you not want to pursue a relationship as my Dominant, at this point in time, I will not pursue another. I will most likely continue to research, if you will allow, and would likely consider a relationship of this nature somewhere again in the future.

Everything that I have read cautions me against saying more. I believe that I have made my desires and intentions clear. As such, I will proceed however you see fit, rather than trying to further argue my case. As you are in all things, I am sure that you will be logical and methodical about your decision. I await your judgment.

Yours,

Hermione

**SPOV**

She had delivered the essay sometime in the night, and I found it folded neatly on the kitchen table as I came down for breakfast. I read it through twice and was still unsure of how to respond. I'll admit that it wasn't what I had expected. I replayed the night that I had taken her virginity in my mind. Near the end of our coupling I had slipped into her mind and felt her overwhelming sense of trust and even admiration for me. I had believed at the time that the emotions were created largely by hormones. Now I was not so sure.

Her essay suggested that she had a solid understanding of her role as a submissive. She was professing trust and obedience, not love. I wondered though if she truly understood the difference. Did I? Her essay was dangerous. It was dangerous for both of us. It blurred lines that should always remain clear.

To suggest that she would be submissive only to me meant a great deal. I knew that she had not written these words easily or fleetingly. She had a logical and brilliant mind. She knew what she was asking of me. Her essay implied that I had already been filling the role for years. Had I not? I flipped that one over in my mind for a moment. It was true that I had protected her and her friends, but she suggested that my motives were her best interest. Was that true? I didn't think so. My motives were typically my own best interest. Of course, it was in both of our best interest to be on the same side most of the time.

I slipped the essay into my pocket and went down to the lab. She had not shown for breakfast, which meant that she was avoiding me until I went to collect her. That was good. I wasn't quite ready to face her yet. As usual the brewing process soothed me. I weighed the pros and cons of accepting her proposal as I worked my way through the familiar steps.

Was I willing to bear the weight of responsibility that came with being a Dominant? Was I not already bearing that responsibility? Was there a difference between keeping her as my slave and keeping her as my submissive? Could I perform for her without allowing my own irrational emotional responses to interfere?

I would not deny that I was surprisingly pleased with having her in my home. For an unwanted gift, she had certainly proven useful and pleasurable. She was an asset in many ways. The thought of having her naked and willingly at my disposal whenever I desired was incredibly tempting.

It was true that I had similar access now, but I was constantly concerned with where to draw the lines of appropriate behavior. I had already far overstepped the boundaries of what I should have considered acceptable. By signing a contract together at least we could define those lines and build boundaries. As we were now, there were no lines at all except for the ones that I enforced. As a submissive, she had every right to establish hard limits. To this point, she had truly been a slave in many ways. Allowing her to choose submission actually granted her more rights, not less.

I made my decision as I set the potion aside to cool. I would do the right thing for her. I only hoped that when she left me in the end, I would be strong enough to bare it.

**HPOV**

I did not sleep. I spent the night tossing and turning. At least a dozen times I got out of bed to retrieve my essay before he could read it, but every time I returned to bed without it. I had written truth—truth that he would probably throw in my face—but I desperately hoped that he would not.

I had done the best that I could with answering his challenge. I had tried to describe my ideal Dom, but every word that fit applied to him. I wanted this. I wanted _him_. Not in the way that a schoolgirl longs after a crush, but with a deep, aching need. I could call to mind no other who would ever be able to meet that need. He had shown me the door to this world, but I would not walk through it without him.

I did not delude myself that I might feel this way forever. If he rejected me, as I was almost positive he would, I would eventually pursue another. This world held too much for me to ignore it forever. For now though, it was almost logistically impossible for me to serve another Master, and I wanted for none other. When I thought about the things he had done to me, I had a hard time fathoming that I would ever want another.

I was pacing around my room to embarrassed and terrified to face him. In the light of day, the words that I had written seemed far too open and unprofessional. I was unprepared to face his rejection. I heard his heavy footfalls as he made his way up the hallway in the direction of my bedroom.

I was too ashamed to look at him so I dropped to my knees on the hard floor and fixed my eyes firmly on the ground. He entered the room. I could feel his presence, but he did not speak. I waited, unable to breathe.

I heard something scrape across the floor and then the leg of a wooden chair stopped just inside my eyesight. His heavy black boots followed as he sat.

"Come," he commanded. I didn't know what emotion to feel. Would he call me to him only to reject me? Would he not just have it out already? I crawled another step closer, and he threaded his long fingers into my hair. I did not look up. I sat at his feet, and he laid my head gently in his lap. I rubbed my cheek against his starched trousers. His scent enveloped me.

"Thank you for completing your assignment, Miss Granger. Although I was surprised by some of the content in your essay, I feel that you have sufficiently answered the question that I posed to you."

What did that mean? I fought to maintain control of my emotions.

"We find ourselves in an extraordinary set of circumstances. You are uniquely positioned in my life in a way that I have never before experienced. I am grateful that you feel you can trust me. I will do my best to honor that trust. That is my promise to you, Hermione."

He took a deep breath before continuing, and I found myself breathing with him. "It is a great honor to me that you would offer yourself up in this way. Should we do this, I will expect your full submission and your acceptance of punishment as I see fit when you fail to comply. Do you understand that, Hermione?"

"Yes, Sir." I answered as surely as I could.

"Are you quite sure that you wish to become my submissive?"

"Very much so, Sir."

"This pleases me. We shall outline a contract tomorrow and define proper behaviors for going forward. Do you have any questions at this point?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What would you like to know?"

"What made you decide to accept my proposal?" I asked.

"There were many reasons, Miss Granger. I gain a good deal more pleasure from your presence than I had ever expected to. I am interested in watching you develop as a submissive, and I have faith that you will represent me well. What else?"

"Am I permitted to tell anyone about this arrangement, Sir?"

He paused for a moment to consider my question. "Are you asking this because you simply want to know who cannot know of our arrangement or are you looking for someone to discuss it with?"

"Well," I answered. "Obviously I can't tell Harry or Ron or really anyone in The Order, although you did say that they are already aware of some elements of our situation. I suppose I'm simply asking you to clarify the public story for me. I don't want to say the wrong thing to the wrong person. How do I publicly define what we are?"

"The simple answer is that you don't: the less information that you share, the better. I am a very private man for a good many reasons as I'm sure you can understand. I would prefer that you do not speak of our relationship in anyway outside of these walls. However, if you are forced to do so, answer as truthfully, and as simply as possible."

I nodded. That made sense. "Sir?"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Thank you, for being willing to teach me."

"You're welcome."

He stroked my hair softly one more time before standing. "Come on, you need to eat and then we have more work to finish before we meet with The Order tonight."

"Yes, Sir." I stood and willingly followed him from the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**SPOV**

I was a little concerned that she would have trouble focusing in the lab after lunch, but she excelled as usual, and the day passed by quickly. She dressed in her school clothes to go to The Order meeting. We packed up the potions supplies and other materials that we were taking with us.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Sir?" she answered, turning to look at me.

"I am going to cast that secrecy spell that we spoke about earlier. Please understand that this is not a reflection on you, but simply a safety precaution. If information about the true nature of our relationship were to reach the wrong ears, it could potentially have devastating consequences. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir." She kept her eyes firmly on the floor betraying her disappointment. She didn't like my decision, but she was willing to go with it anyway. That was a good sign.

I spoke the incantation softly. "Did we have sex in the bathroom?" I asked her.

"I don't wish to speak about this." She looked at me suddenly, her eyes wide. "That's not the answer that I tried to give," she confessed.

"Good. That means it's working. Come, Hermione. It's time."

The Order of the Phoenix was currently meeting in one of the late Albus's little known estates. It was in a remote location in Norway, but easily accessible by Apparation, if you knew the location. I pulled the girl into my arms as we stepped onto my front porch. She came to me easily and pressed her face against my chest. I held her like that for a moment longer than was truly necessary, and then Apparated us both to the front gate.

I'd barely released her before the two dunderheads that were her best friends came barreling out the front door. No sense as usual. I waved my wand, casting a freezing charm to hold them in place.

"Have you no respect for those who have repeatedly risked their lives to save your ungrateful arses? You are in hiding. Get your deficient carcasses back into the house before I blast you there. It would have served you right, had we been Death Eaters."

The charm wore off as we approached and the boys were able to move. "We just wanted to see Hermione!" Ron cried indignantly.

"I know what you wanted," I rebuked. "And you're likely to get us all killed for it. You can visit in the house. Go."

They went, but not before reaching out to lead Miss Granger away by the hand. She gave me a sheepish shrug over her shoulder as she went. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I was very glad that I had insisted on that secrecy spell.

I watched as the girl was greeted by her friends and former teachers with open arms. It was obvious how they all adored her. I fought against the urge to pull her back to my side. She wasn't really mine, _yet,_ and even if she was, these were her friends. It would be unfair of me to restrict her further after weeks of isolation from them. I gritted my teeth and begrudgingly accepted a glass of firewisky from Alastor. The meeting started quickly, and she was gone from my sight.

**HPOV**

"Slow down, guys. I can't understand you when you're both talking so fast at the same time." Harry and Ron had immediately dragged me away from the rest of The Order and were leading me down the hall to the room they were sharing. I wondered briefly what my professor would think of my being alone with the boys in their bedroom, but there was little I could do about it without attracting attention. It was not uncommon for the three of us to hole up together after all.

"It was brilliant, Hermione," Ron exclaimed. "Lupin snuck in and gave us the portkeys and the guards just let him right in because he looked like one of the Death Eaters. There was some kind of revel going on that was distracting Voldemort from us, but they won't tell us what the distraction was so we think it had to do with Snape. Do you know? Did he tell you what it was? Is it bloody awful living with him? Why won't you come and live with us?"

"Ron!" I said, settling down on a pillow on their carpeted floor. "Slow down. I can't answer all of that at once."

"She's right, mate," Harry chimed in. "I didn't even get half of that. Why don't you just tell us what's been going on with you Hermione?"

"You already know everything. I've been living with Professor Snape and his House-Elf, Tink. It's been fine. I've gotten to do some brewing, and I've been able to help The Order, and for right now it is safer and more logical for me to stay with him."

"Yeah, but there has to be more to it than that," Ron started again, this time taking a large bite out of a brownie while he spoke. Some things never changed.

"No, there really isn't," I answered. The spell wouldn't let me say much more, and even if it would, Severus was right, they wouldn't understand. It would only be harder on them if they knew. "It's quite boring actually. What about you? How awful was it being held captive by..." I hesitated. I'd grown accustomed to referring to him as the Dark Lord, "... Voldemort?"

The boys then launched into story after story of the things that had occurred while I was apart from them. They had been through a lot but actually seemed in amazingly good spirits as a result… at least Ron did. Harry was a little more subdued. At one point Ron got up to use the loo, and I finally was able to get a word in edgewise with Harry.

"You okay?" I asked. "That's a lot to go through."

"Yeah," he answered. "I'm sure it wasn't as easy for you as you are letting on either. You seem to be getting on well enough with Snape, but I'm sure it hasn't always been pleasant. It hasn't been too bad has it?"

"No, Harry. It isn't bad at all. He actually quite good company when you get to know him."

"Well he's smart, like you, so at least you have something in common. We're all safe now, and I guess that's what really matters. I just wish it were over. Ron is really enjoying the attention, but I never wanted any of this. I just want Voldemort to be dead so I can go back to my own life."

I nodded. I hadn't really thought much about what would happen when the war was over. We'd been doing this for so long that I really couldn't imagine life without some sort of conflict. Harry's whole life had been this way. I didn't blame him for wanting some peace. I was quite sure that Severus felt the same.

"Has The Order come up with a plan to defeat him?"

"If they have, they're keeping it a secret from me. We've made an effort to overhear their conversations, but mostly it seems like they don't know what to do. I wanted to ask you though, do you know what a Horcrux is?"

"A Horcrux?" I searched my mental glossary. I was quite sure that I'd never heard the term before. "No. I'll look it up. Why do you ask?"

"I'm not sure. I've overheard them using that word a couple of times but it wasn't in any of the books that we have here. I thought you might know."

"I'll see what I can find out," I answered.

Ron chose that moment to return, and the conversation became once again lively. The time passed by quickly, and eventually Ron's stash of sweets depleted, so we went back down to the kitchen. The adults were in the dining room with the door closed. We could hear hushed voices, but not well enough to make anything out.

I was making a couple of sandwiches at the counter when Ron came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. Harry had gone back to the bedroom for something. I stiffened and tried to shrug him off, but he pulled me closer.

"What's the matter, Hermione? I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Ron, but I'd rather you not touch me like that." I ducked out from under his arm and went to the icebox pretending to need mustard. He shut the door and pressed me against it.

"You never used to mind a bit of snogging with me. What's going on?"

I tried to pull away from him again, but he had me effectively cornered. "Nothing is going on, Ron. I'm just not your girlfriend. I never was. And I don't think that this is appropriate. Things are complicated right now, and we need to be focused on working for The Order."

"We can do both, Hermione," he said. He cupped the back of my head in his hand, his fingers threading in my hair.

"No we can't, Ron. Let me go."

"What is the matter with you? Did Snape do this? Did he tell you that we couldn't be together or something?"

"_Professor_ Snape has nothing to do with this," I said, a little louder than I had intended. The truth was, he had everything to do with it, but I couldn't say that. I hadn't thought this through very well. Ron and I had, in the past, fooled around a bit, but things were different now. I had changed a lot in the last few weeks that we'd been apart. Ron didn't understand that, and I couldn't very well explain it to him.

"Just one little kiss, Hermione. Come on. You never minded before."

"Well I mind now," I said, trying to keep my tone in control. I had my wand in my pocket. I was temped to hex him back a little, but it wasn't really his fault. Normally I would not have rejected his advances like this. He just didn't have the whole story. "Get off of me, Ron."

And then he was gone. It took me a moment to process what had happened. Professor Snape had him pinned against the wall, and his hands were around Ron's throat. I couldn't make out everything he said because he was quite literally growing in his ear, but I caught a few phrases that were clear threats. "...said no, you bloody bastard ... hex your balls off.."

The rest of The Order had filed into the kitchen and were now watching the scene, and trying to put the pieces together. Professor Lupin stepped in, pulling Severus back, and Ron slid down the wall clutching his throat.

"I suggest, Lupin, that you teach him proper behavior. She very clearly said no to him. If I ever see him do that again, he will not live long enough for you to save him."

"What did you do to her?" Ron panted from the floor. "Did you brainwash her?"

Severus ignored him, turning his attention to me instead. "Are you alright, Miss Granger?" His eyes were hard and murderous.

"Yes, Sir," I answered meekly.

"Say goodbye. We're leaving."

He did not however give me the opportunity to say goodbye before he dragged me outside and wrapped his cloak around me. Before I could even regain my balance he had me pressed up against the front door to his own house.

"You are mine," he growled in my ear.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Owned**

**SPOV**

I felt absolutely murderous. I couldn't stand the foolish boy as it was, but then to see his grubby paws on _her_ and hear her deliberately tell him no. He was lucky I didn't kill him. I probably would have, if I hadn't known that it would upset her. What did she ever see in those boys? From the sound of the conversation, which I had admittedly only heard about half of, they had been intimate before. Why hadn't she told me? Of course I hadn't asked... but still something told me that she didn't ever feel quite the same way about him as he felt about her.

Oh for fucks sake. Was I really letting myself be drawn into a teenage drama? She was mine now, collared or not, and no one was going to touch her but me.

"You are mine," I growled, pushing her up against the door to my house. Her eyes were wide with a combination of fright and arousal. Her hands were curled in the front of my robe, hanging on tightly. "As long as you are with me, he will not touch you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir," she panted. "I tried to tell him. I don't want him."

"I know you did, but the next time I want you to hex the shit out of him." She laughed, and her body shook in my arms, her head finding a comfortable spot in the crook of my neck. It was hard to be enraged when she was laughing. It really diffused the whole situation.

"I will, Sir. I just didn't want to hurt him. He doesn't understand."

"Well if he ever does it again, _I_ will make sure that he understands." I did not make the threat idly, and she knew it.

"Yes, Sir."

"You pick the worst bloody friends," I sighed. "Let's get you inside." I set her down and unwarded the door. I led her by the hand to the kitchen table. "I was going to wait until tomorrow to do this, but after tonight, I don't think it can wait. Are you ready to discuss the terms associated with becoming my submissive?"

"Yes, Sir." Her eyes lit up as if I'd asked her to do something really fun. Poor girl had no idea what I was likely to put her through. I smirked to myself. I loved being a Dom. If she pulled a stunt like tonight, after she was officially mine, I would tan her ass and then make her beg for release. She would acknowledge me as her Master.

"Good. Stay here."

I went down to the playroom and retrieved the copy of my personalized contract that I had made for her. I set it on the table in front of her.

"This is your contract. You'll find that it's more narrow than the other I gave you to study. This one is tailored to my personal preferences. My hard limits are not included in it as they are non-negotiable. Everything in there is fair game for discussion, although I warn you, I will push you past what you think you can handle."

She turned the pages slowly, reading through the text. "Shall I fill it out, Sir?"

I summoned a quill and ink for her. "You will tell me your answers aloud as you mark them. Start at the beginning and read all of the text. Stop if you have a question."

And so she obeyed me, reading carefully paragraph-by-paragraph never questioning my authority or judgment but expressing her fears or opinions with each section. We solidified safewords (red and yellow, as was standard practice), established our exclusivity, and discussed the appropriate procedure for expressing questions. The library was a neutral zone where she was expected to speak respectfully but openly. The lab was off limits to anything relationship related; we needed to work in there. Her bedroom would be her safe haven. I would not enter there without her permission. The rest of the house though, was fair game for whatever I wanted to do with her and there was a lot that I wanted to do with her.

She blushed a beautiful crimson as she started into my version of the checklist. I didn't really intend to make her read the whole checklist aloud, but I was gaining a perverse pleasure from watching her struggle to speak about subjects which were not in her comfort zone. It was fascinating to watch her Gryffindor bravery overcome her morally conservative upbringing.

"Sir?"

"Yes?" I answered, as she pulled me from my thoughts.

"Anal sex?"

"What about it?" I allowed the corner of my mouth to turn up just slightly in a smirk. They were always anxious about that one.

"I, um. I'm not particularly comfortable with the idea, although having never tried it..."

"Do you trust me, Hermione?"

"Of course, Sir."

"Do you think that I would ever ask you to do something that would be harmful to you?"

"No, Sir," she replied. There was honesty in her voice.

"Anal sex, when preformed properly can be very enjoyable to both parties. It's not for everyone, but there is really only one way to know what you will think of it." I let her process that for a moment and then spoke more softly. "I would never ask that of you unless I was sure you were ready."

She took her bottom lip between her teeth before marking down a number and moving on. Fuck, I was going to enjoy breaking her in.

"Restraint," she continued. "I find all of this section appealing."

I smirked. She had no idea.

**HPOV**

The experience was completely surreal. To sit at the kitchen table and express my thoughts on some of the most carnal acts that two people could commit together was extremely overwhelming. _You're not in Kansas any more. _At the same time, however, he did not make me feel uncomfortable. I wanted him to know. I wanted him to understand my most fundamental desires so that he could choose to meet them.

I grew hotter and hotter and we discussed his desire to put his cock in my mouth and to fuck me on every flat (and some not so flat) surface in the house. I wanted so badly to feel the cool leather of a whipping bench under my breasts as he paddled my bottom and brought me to orgasm.

I worked through the list one item at a time expressing fears and desires, and he answered me in kind with reassurances that he would always meet my needs, see to my safety, and push my limits. In the end I found that there was no act that I was not willing to perform with him. When push came to shove, I would deny him nothing.

When we came to the end of the contract, details established, promises made, I signed my name. He signed his beside mine and the list vanished, going to a safe place, no doubt. He lifted me gently from my chair and pushed me back against the table. I gripped his shoulders as he pushed my skirt up around my hips and lifted me onto the edge.

"No more knickers, Miss Granger. I want you bare and accessible at all times in my house. I will take you whenever I want you with nothing in my way."

My knickers vanished from under my skirt as he spoke and I felt the cool wood of the table against my bare arse. No knickers. Ever? I grew hot at the mental picture of him lifting my robes mid-day and having his way with me.

His clever fingers unbuttoned my school blouse and he took my nipple into his mouth, still covered in the cloth of my bra. The damp fabric clung to me as he sucked and teased. I put my hands firmly on the table and arched into him, desperate for more.

I felt the head of his hard prick against me a moment before he filled me. I cried out at the overwhelming sensation. He kept one hand on my hip, the other forcefully gripping my hair and tugging my head back, exposing my neck.

"Such a good girl," he whispered as he grazed my neck with his teeth and pounded me with his hips. I closed my eyes and gave myself over to my Master, the one who would teach me, protect me. He claimed me over and over again with his words and actions. I agreed. I was his. Only his. I had never needed the paperwork to prove it.

I came twice around him before he finally released me. I was sure that my hips would show the proof of his possession in the form of finger shaped bruises tomorrow. When he was finished, I felt thoroughly used and undeniably claimed. He had left his mark upon me.

A while later, he carried me to his bed and lay down on his back beside me. He was naked, having rid us both of our remaining clothes, and I laid my head on his bare chest, grateful for his presence. His easy breathing and relaxed posture indicated his good mood. I took advantage of it, hoping that he would be talkative.

"May I ask how you learned?" I asked him.

"Learned what?" His voice was rough and gravely.

"All of this. How did you know that you wanted to be a Dom? Where did you learn to control a whip?" I had so many questions. Had someone mentored him?

"I guess it always suited my personality. It seemed like a natural fit for me. I enjoy the power it gives and the control that it takes. As for whips and other physical instruction, I picked it up from other Doms here and there."

He paused and for a moment I thought that was all he would say, but then he continued. "I was not permitted to use magic away from school, so during the summer breaks I would refine my non-magical skills. I spent many hours throwing single-tails in the clearing behind my mother's house. I developed a taste for it around my forth year, so I've been at it a while. As I grew older there were always willing women around the Death Eaters that I could practice on. I moved from muggle soda cans and paper targets to living subjects. It takes a long time to become proficient. It's easy to hurt someone with a whip like the one I used on you the first time you went before the Dark Lord. It's not so easy to give them pleasure with it."

My brow furrowed. I didn't much like the thought of him practicing on other women. I didn't like to think about him in relationship with anyone but me. I reminded myself that he had promised me his exclusivity tonight. Unless it was unavoidable, such as a command from the Dark Lord, he would only be with me. He had promised.

I pictured him as a young man, standing the forest swatting targets with a whip. It was an easy image to conjure. He would have been quite magnificent like that.

"Perhaps I'll give you a demonstration tomorrow, when I introduce you to my playroom," he teased. I could hear the smirk in his voice without looking. My breathing accelerated of its own will. His playroom: how many times had I envisioned it? What secrets did it hold?

"We'll talk more tomorrow, dear one. Go to sleep."

I snuggled closer to his lean body. "Yes, Master," I whispered.

I fell asleep in his bed, knowing that he wanted me there. For better or worse, I now fully belonged to him.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Note: Several of you have asked about their emotional relationship in this story (sorry, I'm so crappy about responding) and whether or not Hermione is experiencing feelings that go beyond a sexual relationship. The answer is "most likely." Hermione, up until Severus accepted her proposal for submission, still thought that her feelings and desires were largely one-sided. Now that they have reached a point of mutual openness on the subject, she'll probably allow hersElf a little more emotional leeway. We're dealing with two extremely analytical minds. People like that look first and leap second. Doesn't mean there won't be eventual leaping. ;) _

**Chapter 21**

**SPOV**

She fell asleep quickly and easily in my arms. I, on the other hand, lay awake well into the night listening to her breathing, smelling her hair, feeling the soft curve of her ass against my erection. I was questioning myself, and I didn't like it. Usually, I made a decision and went with it, but this girl... well... she was keeping me up at night.

She was so young. Granted, she was better educated than most of the people I knew, but still... was this good for her? She was a natural fit for it, but what if it was too soon?

_You were younger than her when you started. _

I was a boy in the Dominant role, not a girl under the authority of a former teacher.

_It's too late now. You promised. _

Yes. I did. And she had promised me in return. Her trust. Her loyalty. Her body. They were all a part of the deal, as were mine.

Could I keep my promise? Would I be able to protect her? Meet her needs? Let her go, when the time came?

What about her? Could she do it? Would she uphold her end of this deal? I certainly hoped so. Merlin, the way her eyes got wide when I told her how I would enjoy hearing her muffled cries from behind a gag. The way a warm blush would creep up her neck when I talked about spanking her, paddling her, whipping her. Fuck, she was enticing, and she was all mine.

My cock throbbed. It had been a long time since I'd spent the night with a witch in my bed. I debated returning her to her own room. I knew I should. Letting her sleep here would only give her expectations, and with those expectations would come unwanted emotions.

_Are they really that unwanted?_

Of course!

I breathed deeply, taking in her scent. I was well and truly buggard, and I knew it.

I brushed the curve of her naked hip with my fingertips. She was so soft. Her back now showed faint scars that she had attained under Lucious's whip. I traced them lightly. He would pay for what he had done. I would see to it.

She stirred gently, moving unconsciously back into my warmth. I palmed her hip in my right hand and moved my lips to her shoulder. If she was going to sleep here, I might as well take advantage of it. I pressed my now aching cock into the smooth flesh of her ass, rolling her onto her stomach. She woke.

"Sir?" she questioned, her voice thick with sleep.

"Shhh," I soothed. "Be still." I gently worked the muscles of her back under my hands. She shifted so that her arms were under her pillow, her head gently tilted between them. She whimpered softly as I kneaded her muscles and brought her body to life.

I made slow circles down the length of her back until she was squirming and stretching under me. She had lately experienced a lot of physical activity that she was not accustomed to, and even in her sleep the muscles in her shoulders were knotted from stress and physical exertion. I placed open-mouthed kisses along her back and shoulders as I touched her.

She moved with me, leaning into my touch, breathing with me. I gently parted her thighs with my knee, and she spread wide for me.

"Very nice," I praised. I knelt between her legs. She lifted her hips encouragingly. I rubbed the length of my cock up and down the crack of her ass, gently squeezing her. She had been apprehensive about anal play, and while we were nowhere near ready for that yet, I wanted her to become comfortable with offering me all of her body. She tensed but didn't protest.

"Grab the headboard and don't let go," I ordered.

She obediently moved her pillow out of the way and gripped the black iron bars that made up the bed. I put one hand on her hip and pulled her back onto my cock. A curse escaped my lips as she took me inch by inch. Fuck. She had the most wonderful cunt.

I took her slowly, the remnants of sleep fading from her body. I pinned her under my weight, rendering her motionless. Her cries were muffled by the mattress, but erotic nonetheless.

I leaned in close to her ear and whispered to her. "I like fucking you in the middle of the night, having you bare and accessible. I will have you whenever I want you."

"Yes, Master, please," she whispered back. _Master._ I would never tire of that.

"You are such a good, obedient, girl aren't you?"

She didn't need to answer that. She was perfect. I lost myself in the sweetness of her surrender. Nothing mattered now but the exquisite feel of her body.

I made a brief mental note to train her in orgasm control when I felt her come hard around me. Soon I would punish her for coming without my permission, but for tonight, I simply enjoyed the feel of it before allowing myself to join her.

We fell asleep, a while later, once again tangled together, the evidence of our coupling still slick on her thighs.

**HPOV**

I woke to the sound of running water. My master was taking a shower. I smiled to myself. Master.

The pleasant ache between my legs served as a reminder of the way he had possessed me in the night.

God. I was such a moron. I could not keep the goofy grin off of my face. I turned sideways and giggled into the pillow. It would not do to let him see me giggling like a child. _Thank Merlin he's in the shower. _

I had myself composed by the time he emerged, a deep green towel thrown across his shoulders, his lank hair still dripping. He was otherwise naked. I watched him with rapt attention as he crossed the room. He'd been naked in my presence several times now, but never had I gotten the opportunity to really look at him.

He didn't seem quite as tall without his clothes on, but he was just as lean and just as imposing. His skin was pale and scarred. He spared me a glance as he walked by. He didn't speak, but he knew that I was awake. I blushed involuntarily. How could he make me feel so much like a little girl and a fully-grown woman at the same time?

I watched him dress. He added clothes a layer at a time. Black: _all black_. He put on his full set of wizard robes. He only dressed that way when he was leaving the house. He wore a surprising amount of muggle clothes at home, a secret that I found endearing.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

He shot me a disproving glare over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Sir. I was just curious."

"I need to see the Dark Lord."

I sucked in a sharp breath. I would never in a million years be okay with that phrase. I bit my lip. I knew that speaking my mind on the subject would only lead to his disapproval. It wasn't like he had much of a choice anyway. Still, the last time I had been before that lunatic, I'd returned near death. I didn't want him to go back to that hellhole ever again.

He finished dressing and then crossed the room to me. He considered me for a moment, but made no move to touch me.

"Get up," he finally said. There was no questioning the authority in his voice. I stood from the bed, self-conscious as the covers fell back. I felt so naked.

"Kneel on the floor."

I walked around the bed, fully aware of his eyes on me the whole way. I knelt where he indicated at the foot, about two feet away, facing the bed.

"Stay," he said. I didn't miss the humor in his voice as he commanded me like a dog. He was in a good mood. I smiled to myself. _I_ was the cause of that.

I waited. He left the room and went down the stairs. I was surprised to find that I could hear him as he went down through the kitchen and said hello to Tink. It had to be a monitoring charm. I could hear the whole house from his bedroom. _Sneaky devil_. I sat still, with my knees on the carpet and my hands behind me as I listened. He opened a couple of doors and moved around in the basement.

My body hummed with anticipation as I heard him climbing the stairs once again. What would he do? I felt him, rather than heard him when he finally stepped into the doorway. I fought the urge to look up. I knew from my research that a submissive in this position would be expected to stay as commanded, but it was harder than it sounded. I wanted very badly to see him.

The first thing I saw were the tops of his boots as he stood on the floor in front of me. He sat down on the foot of the bed. He put his hand in my hair and lifted my head. "Look at me, beautiful." I looked up into his dark eyes.

"You belong to me now. And as such, you will bare the mark of my ownership."

In his hand was a thin, braided, black leather choker. The silver clasp was carved into the shape of a snake. He wanted to collar me. It was much more subtle than the collar I had worn with him before the Dark Lord. This would go unnoticed by an unobservant eye. I wondered if he would change the style depending on the situation.

"You are not to take it off unless I tell you otherwise. Will you accept it?"

"Yes, please, Master," I said. I lifted my hair so that he could fasten it around my neck. His thumb bushed my pulse point for a moment, and then I felt the corded necklace against my collarbones.

"It has a protective charm for when you bathe," he informed me. "And it looks incredibly sexy on you."

I flushed with pride as he kissed my neck at the point where it met my collar.

"I have to leave. I will return in two hours. I don't care what you do between now and then, but I want you kneeling naked in front of the playroom door when I return. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good girl." He placed a gentle kiss to my forehead and then left the house. I listened to him leaving and then returned to my room for a shower. I gently fingered my collar as I walked. _His._

I imagined his playroom as I washed. Would it be like I had envisioned? I couldn't wait to find out.

I groomed carefully. I had never put much thought into my personal appearance, but now it seemed more important. I did not want him to be displeased with me physically, not when he could do such wonderful things to me when he was happy.

I dried myself and debated what to do about clothing. He wanted me naked, but I was far from comfortable walking around the house that way. I pulled a long t-shirt over my head and wrapped myself in the fluffy green bathrobe that my master had made for me the night that Harry and Ron had been passed portkeys. It was soft and warm, and I found that I adored it, because it had been a gift from him. I pulled my hair up out of the way, remembering his thoughts on safety around play equipment.

I ate breakfast, as my contract required, but I was too excited to eat much. I knew that he would ask Tink what I had eaten, so I made an effort. I looked though several books as I ate trying to find the subject that Harry had requested. Horcrux. What was a horcrux? It was surprisingly difficult information to find.

The two hours passed quickly, and when I had only ten minutes left, I made my way downstairs. There was a small green mat on the floor in front of the door, presumably for me to kneel on. I was thankful for his thoughtfulness; the cold cement would not be pleasant.

I took a deep breath and then shrugged off my robe. I folded it neatly and placed it on the floor in the hallway. I did the same with my shirt. My nipples pebbled in the cold dungeon air. My stomach coiled with anticipation.

I knelt with my knees spread apart, and laced my fingers behind my head. Back straight, head down, I checked off the mental list. He had not yet told me which submissive pose he wanted me to assume. I knew from reading, that there were several common ones, but each Dom made his own choices. He'd simply said kneel. That made me uncomfortable. I wanted to know what he wanted. What if I chose poorly?

The kitchen door opened and closed. I heard his heavy boots on the floor above. I held my breath and waited.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Note: Have I told you guys lately how awesome you are? Thanks so much for all of the support. It means the world to me. _

_Here's a nice long chapter for you (well, long for me anyway) _

**Chapter 22**

**SPOV**

_Sometimes I really hate my life. _

I listened to the Dark Lord drone on and on about wizard supremacy while Malfoy childishly shot me knowing looks. I hadn't seen him since the last incident where he had whipped my slave to a bloody mess. It wouldn't be today, but we both knew that I would retaliate. So far as he knew, she was merely a toy to me, but he still knew better than to mess with my possessions. He was goading me, and it pissed me off.

I stood silently in the circle, shoulder to shoulder with men that I hated, and I fantasized about a girl that they all believed was a lesser person than they. If only they knew. She was brilliance in a sea of unending stupidity. If I had to listen to one more asinine comment before noon today, I was going to hex the speaker for sure. The Dark Lord's power was attractive. He was a formidable wizard, but his hate spewing rhetoric was utterly absurd.

I chose more pleasant thoughts. I conjured a mental picture of her in my head. Her wide brown eyes looking into mine as I fastened my collar around her neck. I was very much going to enjoy introducing her to my playroom when I got home. _Merlin knows I'll need to take all this frustration out on someone. _

After what seemed like an eternity the nut case finally released us to go rape and pillage or whatever we were supposed to be doing. I didn't stick around to chat. I had a submissive to attend to.

"In a hurry, Severus?" Lucious asked, stepping between the exit and me.

"Yes. Move," I answered.

"Not rushing home to see your little Mudblood are you?" I brushed past him without answering. I was not in the mood. "Tell her that I said 'hello'."

I stepped out of the fortress, ignoring him, and Apparated to my front door.

She was out of sight when I entered which was a good sign. I assumed that she was following my instructions. I went to my room and changed. I didn't like to work in my robes. I put on a black muggle t-shirt and jeans. I would dress a little differently when she became more comfortable, but for now, she would be nervous enough. It wasn't my intention to terrorize her. I went back downstairs barefoot.

She was waiting as instructed on her knees in front of the playroom. I stood at the foot of the stairs and took a moment to just appreciate her. She'd put her hair up, but a few wild curls had escaped and now lay along her graceful neck.

I hadn't been kidding when I had told her that she looked sexy in her collar. There was something about seeing a physical sign of possession on her that drove me wild. I smirked to myself as I saw her tense under my gaze. She was brave, but I could smell fear.

I stalked towards her slowly, hunting her. Her eyes remained very firmly on the floor, but I could tell that she wanted to look at me. I deliberately ignored her and opened the door. Her curiosity got the better of her and her eyes lifted to the room.

"I did not tell you to move, Miss Granger."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

I stepped a couple of feet into the room. "Come here."

She moved to stand but I stopped her, "On your knees. If you are on your knees when I call you, I want you to crawl. Always."

She nodded her head and then crawled forward into the room. I watched her naked breasts sway gently as she crawled, her eyes on the ground, her shoulder blades rolling gently like a jungle cat. I made a mental note to ask her later if she had discovered her animagus form. A cat would suit her.

This half of my playroom was carpeted; the other half was hardwood. I found both useful. She stopped when she reached my feet, but remained on her knees with her hands behind her back and her head bowed. Beautiful.

"You may look around." She maintained her posture, but lifted her head and looked first at me and then around the room. I saw recognition in her eyes as she associated things from her study. There were also things in this room that I expected her to be unfamiliar with, much of my equipment I had designed myself, making variations on old standards.

"Tell me your safewords, Hermione."

"Yellow and red, Sir."

"On a scale of one to ten how apprehensive are you right now?"

"Maybe a three? I am more excited than fearful, Sir."

"Mmmm." I was pretty sure she was telling the truth. She didn't seem to be afraid. She already had a deep-rooted trust with me.

"The day that I took a leather strap to your backside in the Dark Lord's chamber you experienced an unusual sensation, did you not?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Describe it for me."

She hesitated. "It's not an easy thing to describe, Sir. I was very afraid and very cold. But then after the first few strokes, it was almost like an out of body experience. I knew that I was experiencing pain, but it didn't hurt in the way that I thought it would. It was actually very arousing. I knew in some part of my mind that I was still counting, but really I was kind of lost in a haze. How is that possible?"

"In this room, Miss Granger, I ask the questions."

"I'm sorry, Master." I wasn't concerned. She would get the hang of it.

"What was your fantasy? The one that you were focused on that day?"

"It was really more of a memory," she answered. "I was dreaming about the night before."

"The night I took your virginity?" I confirmed.

"Yes, Sir."

"Later, in the bathtub, you told me that you wanted to experience that out of body feeling again. Is that still true?"

"Very much, Sir."

"That feeling is what we call sub-space, Hermione. We can discuss it later, if you would like to better understand it on an intellectual level, but for now I want to try to recreate it."

She swallowed hard, but did not protest. I crossed the room to my whipping bench. It was not unlike the one that I had used in front of the Dark Lord. That had been a crude transfiguration. This was more elegant. I was going to attempt to pretty much recreate that whole scene for her.

"Walk to me," I commanded. She stood and came to me, her arms subconsciously crossing her body. "Keep your hands at your sides." She lowered them, but her fingers squeezed into nervous fists.

"Lay right across the bench." She did as I asked, but it was a little too tall for her. I wanted her feet firmly on the floor this time. I adjusted the bench slightly until I had her where I wanted her. It would take a little while to make all of the necessary adjustments to this room. Fortunately, everything was fairly flexible. I was used to accommodating a wide variety of submissives.

I moved around the bench behind her. "Spread your legs a little wider," I said softly, stepping between her legs and nudging them apart with my feet. When she was in the perfect position, I stood back and looked at her. _Fuck yes._

"Remember this position. When I tell you to go to the whipping bench this is how I want you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," she breathed. Her speech was more labored now, I wasn't sure if it was fear or arousal, probably a combination of both.

I considered binding her magically, but it was more fun to do it by hand, the slower the better with a new submissive. I pulled four leather cuffs from one of the drawers along the wall. I started with her wrists and then moved to her ankles, securing her to the bench.

"Flex your fingers and toes." She opened and closed her hands and rose up and down on the balls of her feet. "Is anything pinching?"

"No, Sir."

"Good girl. I'm going to blindfold you because I want you to focus and not be distracted by anything else in this room." I tied the silk around her eyes and then stepped back to look at her. My cock was already aching unbearably. I hadn't even done anything yet. I ignored the discomfort and tried to concentrate. I crossed the room and pulled my favorite leather flogger from the wall. It would do nicely for a warm up.

I walked around her slowly, alerting her to my presence. "This is a soft flogger. I brushed the soft tails against her hand so that she could feel it. It's not meant to be particularly painful, but it will put you in the right frame of mind. I'm going to give you a set of twenty, and I want you to count them aloud. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

I took my place behind her and uncoiled the whip. I shook it out, remembering the weight and feel of it. I threw the first time, and just barely tapped her, the multiple tails falling across her thighs. So far she had done very well, but I didn't want to induce fear in her. I needed to learn her body as much as she needed to learn the art of submission.

She counted the first one loud and clear. I hit her again, a little harder. By ten, I was using the instrument the way that it was meant to be used, at medium strength. She would feel the sting, but mostly because of the repetition. I wanted a slow burn.

Her voice became a little more distant as we reached fifteen and sixteen. I was going pretty slowly, and she'd had time to become aroused by it. When I finished the set I went to her and gently stroked her pink skin. She flushed beautifully.

"Where are you, Hermione? What are you thinking about?"

She breathed deeply for a moment before she answered. "I'm thinking about you, Master."

"What about me?" I lightly traced her wet pussy lips with the tip of my finger.

"I want you to fuck me, Sir. Please."

"Be more specific."

"I want you to take me right here from behind. Fuck me hard, Master, please."

"Good girl. I will fuck you, but I don't think you're ready yet." She moaned softly in protest as I backed away. "No need to count," I said, and then I started again with the flogger.

I gave her ten more, good hard swats. She started to cry at six, but I was sure that she could take the last four. I delivered most of them to her ass and thighs, but twice I tapped her between the legs, the evidence of her arousal wetting the tails. She did not orgasm, but she was close.

**HPOV**

It wasn't like the other night at all. In Voldemort's throne room, I had been so afraid. I created a fantasy world to help me escape. Severus wanted to recreate that experience for me, but there was one major difference: I didn't want to leave this place. It was hard to imagine a fantasy more perfect than the one I was actually experiencing.

I was more relaxed than I would have anticipated. I knew that he was doing this to bring us both pleasure, so I had a hard time believing that it was something to fear. I thoroughly enjoyed the first ten, the whisper of his feet as he moved on the carpeted floor, the soft whoosh of air as the leather tails flew, the anticipation for what it might feel like when they finally reached their destination. I was acutely aware of his eyes on me, and how wonderful it felt to have his full attention. How many times had he ignored my raised hand in his class? How many times had I wanted him to pay attention? I smiled to myself. Well, he was paying attention now.

The next ten stung a little more, but each blow only aroused me further. Oh how I wanted him to fan the flame burning between my legs. Would he fuck me as he had before? When he finished these twenty, would he take pleasure in my body? As he approached me, I was sure that he would. Oh, how I wanted him to simply fill me without warning. I wanted to feel his cool thighs against my burning flesh. But he spoke to me instead, touching me tenderly, far too tenderly. Didn't he know how much I needed him?

I nearly begged him to stay, but he returned to his whip, and I strengthened my resolve to be a good girl. I would please him. I was grateful that he did not require me to count. I wanted no responsibility. I only wanted to feel.

I once again felt the sting on my backside, but it was the female part of me that ached. I felt empty. I found myself crying, the blindfold damp from my tears. It did hurt, but they were not so much tears of pain as tears of desperation. I needed him.

"Please, Master!" I begged.

"Please what?" He swatted me hard across the ass and I felt the sensation deep inside. I wanted to close my legs, but they held fast in their bindings.

I couldn't articulate. "Please," I sobbed.

He gave me two more in quick succession and then I heard him set the whip down. He released my arms and legs and lifted me into his arms. I could not see him but his presence was everywhere. He did not undress, but instead covered me with his clothed body, as he laid me down on the carpeted floor.

"Such a good girl. I am very pleased." There was joy in his voice, and I couldn't keep from smiling. I reached for him but he pinned my hands together with one of his own and held them above my head. I arched under him, my breasts finding friction on the soft cotton of his shirt. I lifted my legs, wanting to thrust against him to find some relief from this tortuous ache. I couldn't wait any longer.

He filled me fluidly and without warning. It felt as if the world shattered around me. My whole body shook from the force of my orgasm. My legs came up around his slender hips, and I pulled him to me desperately. The rough material of his jeans grazed my inflamed ass and thighs, and I realized that he had not even undressed. I saw the scene in my mind, my imagination contributing where my senses had been denied. I was naked beneath him, his long frame stretched out over me, restraining me.

I cried out for him again and again as he thrust into me. His lips found the peak of my nipple and he sucked and bit them as I squirmed, unsure whether to pull away from the pain or beg for more.

"Look at me," he commanded, and I felt the blindfold fall away from my eyes. I blinked up into the room's soft light, finding and tracing the hard angles of his face. His black eyes bore into mine with unbridled lust. I felt hugely overwhelmed.

"Come for your Master. Come for me."

I attempted to answer, but it came out as an unintelligible cry. He plunged violently into me, and I surrendered. My body responded to his command convulsing around him as I struggled to breathe. The look in his eyes was wild and feral as he succumbed to his own desires and spilled inside of me.

We lay in a heap until the air grew cold around us and goose bumps formed on my arms. He helped me to my feet and led me from the room. He shed his remaining clothes on his bathroom floor as the water ran hot in his shower. Without speaking, he pulled me under the spray with him and pressed me up against the shower wall.

"You are incredible."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**SPOV**

I sent her back to her own room to change after exhausting myself with her in the shower. Holy fuck she was insatiable. I had forgotten what it was like to bed a woman four times in two days. I was older than I used to be, but I thought that I was still keeping up pretty well. I smirked to myself. I could always find another way to wear her out, if it came to that.

We had work to do, and while I wouldn't mind dragging her back into the playroom for more fun, we needed to spend an equal amount of time in the lab. I reluctantly dressed myself and headed downstairs. I'd barely started a cauldron when my perimeter alarm sounded. _What now? _

I told Hermione to keep working and then went to see who was at the door this time. I wasn't terribly surprised to find Remus Lupin on my doorstep. I was actually surprised that he hadn't shown up earlier seeing as the last time I'd seen him, I was choking a former pupil.

"Remus, to what do I owe the visit?" I said as I opened the door, allowing him into the kitchen.

"I think you know full well to what you owe the visit," he answered. "Where is Hermione? Is she okay?"

"She's in the lab. She's fine. He didn't hurt her physically."

"It wasn't Ron I was worried about."

I shot him a menacing glare. "She very clearly told him no, and he physically pursued her anyway. He deserved much more than what I did to him."

"I'm not questioning that, Severus. I'm wondering why you care. I've never known you to come between two students having a lover's spat."

I bit my tongue and reminded myself that it was none of his business. "She is my ward and therefore my responsibility. As you well know, I do not take my responsibilities lightly. That girl has enough to worry about without adding assault from someone she calls friend. He is your responsibility, and I expect you to deal with him."

"I have dealt with him, Severus," he said, taking a seat at my kitchen table, uninvited. "He's confused. He was under the impression that Hermione was interested in him."

"I don't care what his impression might have been. He was obviously mistaken." I interrupted.

"Yes, well I'm not here to discuss it with you anyway. I came to speak to Hermione."

"She is busy. I will deliver whatever message you want to leave."

"I don't think so, Severus." He crossed his arms making it quite clear that he wasn't moving. I was pissed that he was defying me in my own home, with regards to my submissive, but as he didn't know the second part there was only so much I could do.

"Miss Granger!" I called down the stairs.

"Yes, Sir?" She appeared at the foot of the steps.

"Professor Lupin is here to see you. Do make it quick."

"Yes, Sir," she responded. "The sleeping draught is under stasis, but someone should probably attend to it before too long."

"I'll get it," I grumbled, passing her on the stairs. I went into the lab and left her to her company. I wondered belatedly if I should have cast that secrecy charm again. Remus knew more than the boys though, so it wouldn't really matter. I didn't want to listen in on their conversation. My submissive or not, she deserved her privacy. Trust always worked both ways. I turned on the radio when I reached the lab and effectively blocked the noise. If she yelled, I would hear. Otherwise, she was on her own.

The potion was perfect to the stage that she left it. I had to give the girl credit. She was a better brewer than I had let on in my classes. She wasn't particularly creative about it, but once she got the hang of something, she was unstoppable. I continued where she had left off.

She came down about a half an hour later. _So much for making it quick. _I had to restrain myself from bending her over the table to reassert my authority. I knew that it was ridiculous, but I felt it anyway.

"Did you have a nice chat?" The question came out at little more hostile than I had intended. I moved the potion away from the flame. It needed to cool for a while.

"Yes. I assured him that everything was fine here. He was a bit concerned after your display of possession in front of Ron."

I looked at her sharply. "That was not a display of possession. He was way out of line, and I simply put him in his place. It had little to do with your submission, as it wasn't even official at the time. Someone needed to teach him that his actions were inappropriate."

"Well whatever your motivation, Sir, it did cause a bit of a stir within the safe house. I do believe that it has been smoothed over, at least for now though."

"If he keeps his filthy fucking hands of what's mine," I said, deliberately advancing on her, closing the space between us, "then we won't have a problem." She stopped breathing as I reached her.

She had dressed, after our shower, in her school clothes, minus her robes. Now was as good of a time as any to see if she was obeying my instructions. I put one hand on her hip, holding her to me, and let the other find the soft skin of her leg, just above the back of her knee where the hem of her skirt fell. She rested her forehead on my chest, her arms circling my neck.

I trailed my hand up the back of her leg, pushing her skirt out of the way as I went. "Did you obey your Master? Are you bare for me?"

"Yes, Sir," she said softly as I reached her naked arse with my hand. So fucking smooth.

"Good girl. I will reward you for that." I felt her body tense in anticipation. I tugged her closer, my fingers moving between her legs to brush the soft folds of her pussy. "...after we're done working." With a self-satisfied smirk, I turned back to my potion.

**HPOV**

I sat down at the table with Professor Lupin, and Tink was kind enough to bring us tea.

"How are you Hermione?" he asked.

"I'm well, thank you. How have you been?"

"These have been tiring months for all of us, but I'm as well as could be expected. I'll get right to the point Hermione, everyone is worried about you. As I'm sure you well know, keeping you here with Severus is not an ideal solution. You've handled this with incredible maturity, but no one expects more of you. If this whole thing is too much for you to handle, I want you to tell me."

"I'm fine, Professor Lupin. It was a little bit difficult at first. There were a lot of things to adapt to, but I've adjusted. I think it's best that we leave well enough alone."

He considered me across the table for a moment. "I am sorry that it worked out this way. You have been forced to do things that no woman should ever have to experience, at any age." He paused awkwardly. "You're so young."

"Professor, please don't apologize. This was not you fault, and it was my choice in any event. I want to do whatever I can to support the downfall of that tyrant. I am not the only one who has been asked to make sacrifices."

He sat back in his chair and sipped at his tea, a frown across his face. "No, you are not," he finally said. "We've all made sacrifices, but if you are really unhappy here there are things that can be done..."

"No," I said firmly. "It's best if I remain here. I want to remain here."

"He caused quite a commotion with that stunt he pulled the other day with Ron. He and Harry were up in arms for hours."

I smiled to myself. "I'm sure they were, but they have nothing to be concerned about. I am quite safe here. Probably safer than anywhere else."

"Ron was upset that you rejected his advances. He insisted that it was unusual behavior for you. I know it's none of my business, but I do hope that you won't allow the current circumstances to come between you."

"Ron is my very best friend, Professor. I love him dearly, but I'm not interested in him romantically. Surely you can understand that. We've never really had any kind of an official relationship, anyway, and now with everything that has happened… I've changed in some ways. I just need some space. Ron doesn't always get that."

"He's a teenage boy, Hermione," he said, laughing under his breath. "They don't always get a lot of things."

"Yes, well I couldn't very well explain it to him without telling him everything that's happened, and I am not ready to do that. Please promise me that you won't tell him or Harry. I don't think I could handle the embarrassment if they knew. Professor Snape has been very mature about all of this, and we've come to an agreement of sorts, but they just wouldn't understand. It would sound so much worse than it is."

"Of course I won't tell them," he assured me. "It's your story to tell when you are ready, if you are ever ready. It's really no one's business but yours and Severus's. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that you had options. I know that Snape can be difficult to work with, and if it becomes to much to deal with, I want you to know that you can always come to me."

"Thank you, Professor, but I'm fine. Truly."

"I'll make the same offer on Tonk's behalf as well. If you ever need a female point of view..."

"Really, I know that I can come to you guys. I appreciate it, but there is nothing that I need. I am happy here."

He nodded and set in silence for a moment. "Well, if you're sure that there's nothing else I can do, I'll let you get back to your project."

"Thank you," I said standing from the table.

He hugged me goodbye and then saw himself out. I breathed a sigh of relief and went back downstairs to my Master.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**SPOV**

The following days passed by quickly, as we settled into a routine. We worked together in the mornings, I took care of my business outside of the house during the afternoon hours while she studied, and we had dinner together. But the evenings... the evenings were our time to play, a most enjoyable time for sure.

I smirked to myself as I watched her silently counting rotations. She had been counting something very different for me last night. My cock twitched at the memory. She made a wonderful submissive. She was adventurous, willing, open minded, unafraid...

"Sir?"

"Yes, Hermione?" I answered, looking up from my cauldron.

"Could you perhaps tell me what a Horcrux is?"

I dropped the knife I was holding, and it clattered loudly to the table. "Where did you hear that term?"

Her eyes widened slightly at my reaction, and I could hear her heart rate increase. "Um, I was just doing some research and—"

"Don't lie to me," I cut her off. "You did not find that information in my library which means you were either in my room without my permission or you were talking to someone outside of this house. I want to know which it was."

"I was merely curious," she stammered. Who was she protecting? Why wouldn't she tell me?

The Order had determined that the Dark Lord had in fact made at least three Horcruxes for himself. We thought it likely that there were more. Did she know that? Was someone trying to use her to get information from me? If she was talking to the wrong person, we could both be in very grave danger.

"If you do not tell me right now where you got your information, I will find out for myself and then I will punish you so hard you won't sit for a week," I threatened, advancing on her. She backed away from me, her eyes never leaving mine, like frightened prey.

"I... I told Harry that I would look it up for him. That's all I know. I think he overheard it from The Order. I've been researching with very little luck. Please, I didn't mean any harm. I don't even know what it is."

I expelled my breath. She didn't know anything. Stupid nosy Potter brat.

"Show me," I commanded, looking into her eyes and casting the spell to view the memory. She obediently recalled The Order meeting where I had allowed her to be with her friends. I should have kept her by my side. Those boys were forever getting her into dangerous situations.

"Has The Order come up with a plan to defeat him?" her memory asked. I knew whom she was talking about even in the middle of the discussion.

"If they have, they're keeping it a secret from me. We've made an effort to overhear their conversations, but mostly it seems like they don't know what to do," Harry replied. That was good. It was none of their business. "I wanted to ask you though, do you know what a Horcrux is?"

"A Horcrux? No. I'll look it up. Why do you ask?"

"I'm not sure. I've overheard them using that word a couple of times but it wasn't in any of the books that we have here. I thought you might know."

"I'll see what I can find out," she answered, and then she pushed me out of her mind. Her _Occlumency_ skills were improving. I started her on a course of study when she became my submissive. I thought that I was good enough for both of us, but having her skilled in protecting her mind would be a plus.

"Tell me truthfully, is that everything?" I asked.

"Yes, Sir," she breathed. I pulled her gently to my chest.

"Good girl. Don't keep something like that from me again. It could be vital that I know what you know."

She nodded slowly. "So, will you answer my question?"

I laughed. Her curiosity knew no bounds. "Oh my dear girl, will you never cease to put your nose in places that it does not belong?"

She blushed. "Sorry, Sir."

"I will tell you Hermione, but I'm largely doing it because I know that you will seek the information out with or without my help. Finish your potion. I'll tell you over lunch."

**HPOV**

He made good on his promise as I'd come to find he always did. He told me about the Horcruxes over toasted cheese sandwiches and vegetable soup.

"So you've destroyed two?" He nodded in agreement. "And you believe that there may be as many as seven?"

"Yes." His answers were clipped and I could tell that he didn't really want to be discussing this with me.

"Do you know what they might be?"

"We're looking into artifacts that might have been significant to him for one reason or another. It's hard to know for sure."

"I'd like to help," I offered, knowing that it was unlikely that he would accept. "I am very good at research and logic. Let me help you."

He exhaled a deep breath and looked at me. I might be submissive but I was not weak, and I was not about to back down if I could be useful to The Order in this. I met his gaze steadily. He opened his mouth to respond, and then quickly snapped it shut.

"Someone is here," he responded instead. "Do not move and do not speak."

He opened the kitchen door, and I could barely make out the squat form of Peter Petigrew. I still got chills every time I saw that man. He was the epitome of creepy.

"What?" My Master barked harshly. I was glad that he didn't often take that tone of voice with me.

"The Dark Lord wants you and the mudblood." My unfinished lunch caught in my throat.

"When?"

"Now."

Severus sighed. He didn't like to have his schedule interrupted. "Did he request anything specific?"

"He didn't say."

"Tell him we are on our way," he said, slamming the door in Peter's face with a loud bang.

"Get up," he commanded me. "I don't know what he wants, so I'm going to have to make a guess. Take off your robes. I'll take you in your school clothes."

I obediently stripped down to my plaid skirt and white blouse. I wore a bra but no knickers and white ankle socks with my flat black shoes. _Schoolgirl fantasy it is._ I knew that Severus didn't approve. It struck a little too close to home for him. He always asked me to strip or change before we played.

He pulled me into his arms and made the now familiar jump to the Dark Lord's fortress. He kept his arm firmly around my waist as we made our way into the throne room where a large, noisy crowd had gathered.

It took me a moment to process the scene. A steel cage had been placed in the center of the room. It was roughly six feet tall and made a square about three feet by three feet. It was just large enough to contain a single person. As we made our way through the crowd I caught glimpses of someone in the cage, she had been so badly beaten that it took me a moment to recognize her as Ginny Weasley.

I bit my lip to keep from gasping as I was able to look closer. She was half dressed, her remaining clothes in tatters. Her face was swollen and her arms and legs were striped with bloody whip marks. She was supporting herself by leaning against the bars, but if the cage hadn't been so small I was sure she would have collapsed. _Poor Ginny._

My mind raced for a possible way to get her out of here. Why was she here in the first place? She been at school rather than the safe house as she had not been involved in the first attack. The Order had felt that it was safe enough to leave her there with the other students despite Death Eater involvement at Hogwarts. What had changed? Why had they singled her out?

Severus' fingers tightened around my hip, a silent warning to hold my tongue and stay in character. I was grateful for his warm strength beside me.

"Add her to the cage, Ssseverus," the dark Lord hissed. I turned my head in his direction, my eyes wide. He wanted me to go in there with her.

My Master pushed me forward towards Ginny. I held my breath. The door to the cage swung open magically and I stepped in. It was exceedingly cramped. The smell of her blood rose up in my nose and threatened to choke me. I wrapped my arms around Ginny's waist in a comforting gesture, trying not to hurt her further, and she sobbed on my shoulder. The door clicked shut behind us giving us little room to move.

There were various catcalls from the men around the room suggesting lude things that we could do to each other in close quarters. I blocked them out as best I could and waited for a command from my Master.

"It's okay," I soothed, even though we both knew how not okay it really was. "I'm here. I'm going to take care of you," I whispered.

She pressed into me sobbing, and I comforted her as best I could. I felt her small hand move along the side of my skirt as if searching for something. I tried not to draw attention to it. I didn't know what she wanted. She found the side pocket that she knew was there; we wore the same skirts after all. Then she removed her hand. Has she given me something?

"Give Snape," she whispered softly and then she passed out in my arms. I struggled with her weight. There was not enough room to set her down, so I shifted her uncomfortably to one side, balancing her on the cage and supporting her with one arm. I discreetly reached into my pocket with the other hand. She had given me something. It felt like a thin chain, like a necklace of some kind. Why would she give me a necklace for Severus? Well whatever the reason, I knew that it was of vital importance. I would protect it.

The Dark Lord launched into a sermon of Nazi-rivaling hate propaganda using Ginny and I as demented illustrations of what happens to mudbloods and muggle-lovers. It was like a brain washing session, a religion gone wrong, fueled by hate, hormones, and magic. He spoke for a good hour, and I grew more and more exhausted and cramped in the tiny cage.

Ginny drifted in and out of consciousness. I mumbled wandless healing spells, trying to stop her bleeding, and while it helped, it was far from a cure. Without my wand, and without being able to speak the incantations clearly, there was little that I could do.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Dark Lord vanished the bars on the cage, and we both tumbled helplessly to the stone floor.

"Make an example of her, Ssseverus," the Dark Lord commanded.

My Master grabbed me roughly by the hair and hoisted me up off of the ground. I had an opportunity when he was binding my wrists to a chain that was hanging from the ceiling to whisper in his ear. "I need to keep my skirt." He gave me a curious glance but then proceeded to open my blouse, leaving me half dressed. He tucked the back of my skirt into the waistband revealing my naked arse to the room.

I tried to imagine that we were at home in the playroom, but I couldn't. After all, he would never cause me to bleed in the playroom.


	25. Chapter 25

_Author's Note: Thank you all for you for your continued support. Your reviews and comments have totally made putting this story back up a worthwhile experience. I'm almost done editing, and I've decided to write one more chapter that wasn't in the original, so I'll hopefully have that done this week so I can put the rest of it up._

**Chapter 25**

**SPOV**

What a fucking mess. This whole day had really caught me off guard, and if there was one thing that I hated, it was feeling unprepared.

I drained the rest of the firewisky from my glass and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. Miss Granger was sleeping. I was certain that she wouldn't wake until morning. Miss Weasley was not so fortunate. The Dark Lord had sent her home with Lucious. I thought that it was unlikely that he would kill her immediately, but I was sure that he was making no extended efforts for her comfort either.

When I was finished whipping her within an inch of her life, I had brought my submissive home and healed her, cursing myself for every lash. I had failed her. I had failed her friend, another innocent girl in all of this. She would recover, but if she ever trusted me again she was a fool.

The Dark Lord had been angry, very angry. I got flashing from his mind as he spoke, giving me a limited amount of detail about what had occurred. One of his Horcruxes was missing. He knew that someone was hunting him. He chose to take his rage out on the two young women but he didn't really believe that they were involved. They were simply convenient.

I had known that I would not get off this time with a simple sexual display. The Dark Lord wanted blood and if I had been unwilling to provide it, he would have gotten it another way. I hated myself for having caused her so much pain, and I had probably destroyed the most enjoyable relationship that I'd ever had in the process, but she was alive for another day and that was all that mattered.

I tortured myself by replaying the events of the evening over and over in my mind. It was pointless and illogical, but I did it anyway. I saw her body jolt under my harsh whip. I heard her scream for mercy that I couldn't grant. Her white shirt quickly turned red as I drew her blood sacrifice.

She had asked to keep her skirt. I had forgotten about that until now. Why would she ask that of me? I didn't think that it had anything to do with her nakedness. She had been naked before these men in the past. I had stripped it off of her when I brought her home, and I hadn't noted anything unusual about it. I stood and went to her bathroom. I had healed her on the floor, and her clothes were still lying in a bloody pile at the foot of the tub.

I lifted the tiny plaid skirt from the pile. It was barely in one piece, and the pattern was all but hidden by the bloodstains. I squeezed the cloth in my hands, her blood once again coating my hands. I felt whatever it was that she was hiding, a hard object somewhere in the cotton. Did she have pockets? I had never paid that much attention to the girl's school uniforms. I shifted it around in my hands until I finally found the small pocket sewn into the side, near the hip.

I reached in and retrieved a necklace. I knew immediately what it was: the missing Horcrux. I had seen an identical image of it in the Dark Lord's thoughts. Where had she gotten it? The only explanation that I could come up with was that Ginny had passed it to her in the cage. I hadn't noticed, and I didn't think that anyone else had either.

I sat back on my heels and tried to figure out what to do. It was obvious that these children were once again sticking their noses in places where they didn't belong, but I could hardly complain as they had recovered a Horcrux that we had been unable to reach. I really wished that I knew how she had gotten it.

I passed quietly through Hermione's room on my way out. She was breathing evenly, undisturbed in her sleep. I went to the library and stuck my head into the floo. "Remus! Minerva!" I called.

A moment later a couple of sleepy looking members of The Order appeared in the living room of the safe house. "Severus?" Minerva asked. "Why don't you come through?"

"I don't want to leave the house right at the moment, but it's urgent. Come to me." I pulled my head back out the other side and waited for them to floo into my house. I hated having people in my home, but I didn't want to leave Hermione alone while she was still recovering.

Alastor, Remus, Tonks, and Minerva arrived a moment later. I waited until they were settled before speaking. "Tonight the Dark Lord called me and asked me to bring Miss Granger. When I arrived, I found Ginny Weasley who was badly beaten and held captive in a cage in the middle of the room. During the course of the night Miss Weasley somehow managed to pass Miss Granger a locket, Slytheren's locket to be more specific. A Horcrux."

Minerva gasped. "Is Miss Weasley alive?" Just like her to worry about the girl and not the section of The Dark Lord's soul that was currently in my pocket.

"Yes, for now. Lucious Malfoy has her."

"Where's the Horcrux?" Alastor growled.

"Right here," I said, producing it from my pocket and handing it to the retired auror.

"Where's Miss Granger?"

"She's asleep. She took quite a beating tonight as well. I expect her to be out until morning."

"How much does the Dark Lord know?" Remus this time. I could see him trying to piece the information together.

"He knows that the locket is missing. He does not know who has it."

"We need to destroy it immediately." Alastor was turning the locket over in his hands as if trying to find the secret to its destruction.

"Yes, well the last one who tried to destroy one of those was Albus. Look at how well that worked out for him."

Minerva shot me a disapproving look. She may not like it, but it was the truth.

"I agree that it needs to be destroyed," I continued. "But we also need to know how it came to be in Miss Weasley's possession, and we need to remove her from the Malfoy manor, if we want her to remain alive."

We spent the next hour coming up with a plan to destroy the Horcrux. Alastor would lead that effort. I was to be in charge of operation rescue Ginny Weasley. Just what I needed.

We still were not sure how Ginny had gotten the locket in the first place, but I was pretty sure that Potter must be involved. He had to be communicating with her in some way. He was overhearing bits and pieces from The Order and passing that half-true information along. It was a very dangerous way to go about it, but of course that never mattered to Potter. He would endanger Miss Weasley just as he had always endangered Miss Granger. That idiotic boy would eventually get us all killed. He was unbelievably fucking reckless, just like his father.

Eventually, I kicked them all out of my house, agreeing to meet with Lucious in the morning to get a status update on Miss Weasley and then report back to them. It was time that we had a meeting with the Chosen One and his moronic side-kick.

**HPOV**

I felt heavy. Everything hurt. I groaned and rolled over on to my back, which only made the pain worse. Tink appeared at my side with a glass of water and a vial of pain medication. I accepted both gratefully. A disappointment settled in my stomach when I realized that my care had been entrusted to a House-Elf and not to my Master himself. Where had he gone? Why would he leave me? Was he displeased with me?

I could barely speak, but the tiny Elf somehow understood that I was asking after the whereabouts of our Master. She quietly told me that he had gone to visit the Malfoys. The news filled my heart with dread. Would he be safe there? I hoped that he was in some way helping Ginny. That made sense, if that was where she had been taken. I prayed that she was all right.

I shifted in an attempt to get out of bed, but found that I couldn't, even with the pain potion my body protested horribly. I couldn't move without terrible pain in my back and legs. I lay back down on my stomach once again and surrendered to sleep.

When I woke a second time, he was there. His hands were soft on my face, brushing my unruly hair back so that he could give me another dose of painkiller. "Master," I whispered reverently.

"Just rest, little one."

"But Ginny..." I whispered.

"Is safe enough for now. I am taking care of it. Rest."

I wanted to know what that meant. I wanted to know what was being done. What had Ginny tried to give me in the pocket of my skirt? Had he found it? Was our secret safe? I fought against the overwhelming blackness, wanting to ask, but I was not strong enough. I slipped into the comfortable nothingness.

He was gone again the next time that I woke. I felt marginally better this time, though, and was able to swing my legs out of the bed and onto the floor. I was recovering. I sat like that for a moment, with my head in my hands, making sure that I was okay to continue. I had a little trouble standing, but I very badly needed the loo. I could not remember a time that my bladder was so full. His strong arms came up around me as I stood, supporting me. Where had he come from? Was he somehow monitoring me?

He lifted me, unwilling to let me walk, and carried me to the bathroom. He sat me on the toilet, and lifted the long t-shirt that I was sleeping in up over my hips. I flushed with embarrassment. Surely he didn't mean to stay... but he did. I turned my head away from him. I couldn't help it. I needed to go very badly. He did not speak, but simply waited while I emptied my bladder and wiped myself. He carried me back to bed without comment. I pushed aside my embarrassment. I was too grateful for his help. The pain was still pretty bad.

"Sir?" I asked. My voice was weak and unsteady. "Did you find—"

"Shh," he pulled the blankets up around me. "You rest. I'll talk."

I nodded my consent.

"This is the short version," he began. "We can discuss it further when you're feeling better. Ginny Weasley was caught by Draco Malfoy in a restricted area of the school. She was snooping around the dungeons. Draco turned her in, and she was handed over to his father for punishment. Lucious had the brilliant idea to take her before the Dark Lord. Truthfully she just had very bad luck. He chose her because Draco finds her attractive and because he thought that the sister of Ron Weasley might know something about her brother's whereabouts."

He paused to make sure I was still with him. I nodded for him to continue.

"Things got out of hand. The Dark Lord was angry because he had received news that one of his Horcruxes was missing. Miss Weasley made a very convenient target, as did you. He did not know that she was actually carrying his Horcrux, which I assume was her reason for snooping in the dungeons in the first place. We are incredibly lucky that he did not know."

My eye widened. "A Horcrux? That's what she gave me?"

"Don't speak, Hermione. I will tell you."

I nodded, not wanting him to stop.

"The Horcrux is a locket. It once belonged to the founder of my house. She passed it to you, and I later found it in your skirt. Currently, The Order is working to destroy it. Miss Weasley was left in the care of Lucious Malfoy whom I visited this morning. She was in better shape than I had anticipated. You may well have saved her life with your healing spells yesterday. She's under the care of a House-Elf. Malfoy intends to take her back to school when she is recovered. It was never his intention for things to get quite as far as they did. He doesn't like the Weasley family, but the fact remains that she is a pureblood. I don't think he's likely to cause irreparable damage. Lucious is an asshole, but he's not usually as vicious as he appears. Of all of the Death Eaters, she's relatively safe with him. Draco, however, bears watching. I didn't care much for the way he looked at her."

I let out the breath that I had been holding. That wasn't great news, but it wasn't half as bad as it could have been. Ginny was a formidable witch. If push came to shove I was fairly confident that she could take Draco. She was probably wandless though, which would hurt her odds.

"So, the current plan is to destroy the Horcrux, monitor Ginny until she is returned safely to school, and find out how she knew about the locket. I am blaming your friend Potter for that. The Order, including the boys, will be here in a couple of hours to discuss it."

"May I come to the meeting?" I asked.

"If you feel well enough, you may sit and listen. If you get excited by anything however, I will return you to your room. I'll not allow you to jeopardize your health."

"Yes, Sir," I agreed. That was better than I expected to get from him.

"And if Ron Weasley comes within five feet of you," he continued, "I'll hex his balls off."

I smiled. I liked it when he got protective of me. Maybe more than I should...

"Go back to sleep. I'll wake you when they arrive."


	26. Chapter 26

_AN: I kind of wrote myself into a corner (it happens sometimes with fanfiction) so you're going to have to suspend some disbelief with me here in terms of time line. Let's assume that Dumbledore took Harry with him to the cave where they found the fake locket on the night of his death. However, let's also assume that Harry never got Slughorn's memory and Dumbledore did not fully explain the Horcruxes to Harry. K? _

**Chapter 26**

**SPOV**

The members of The Order began arriving, and I retrieved Hermione from her room. She walked stiffly to the couch in the library where we were meeting and drew her legs up under her, curling them under the green bathrobe that I had given her. She looked like a submissive after a hard session, and I had to fight the urge to provide aftercare. I wrenched my eyes away from her playing the role of her professor and keeper.

When the boys entered the room in an unnecessarily large cloud of floo powder, I blocked their path. "Miss Granger is still recovering," I growled.

Potter's eyes widened in understanding but Weasley wore his typical village idiot smile. Forget magic. I really wanted to remove that smile from his face with my fist.

"Hi guys," she spoke up behind me, cutting me off before I could bark further instructions. "I'm a little sore is all. It would be better if you didn't hug me, but you can come sit by me. Okay?"

The boys took their places on the couch beside her, and I drew up a chair on her other side. I wasn't getting out of earshot of those two.

"What happened, Mione?" Ron asked. "I mean we know that you had to go before Voldemort—"

"Don't speak his name!" I hissed at the discomfort. These boys had no fucking respect.

"Sorry. I mean, you had to do that before right? What was different this time? Why did he hurt you?"

Luckily she didn't have time to answer before everyone was assembled and ready to start.

Minerva ran the meeting, which was really more of a get-Potter-to-spill-his-guts session. In the end we learned little that we didn't already suspect. Potter had overheard a small portion of a discussion about The Dark Lord's fragmented soul. He then proceeded to tell everyone within hearing range everything he knew. Those in his hearing range, luckily, only included Miss Granger and Miss Weasley.

He was in contact with Ginny via a diary that she had given him the prior year. She'd gotten the idea ironically enough from the first Horcrux, Tom Riddle's diary. Between the two of them, and the information that Dumbledore had given Harry before his death, they were able to piece together enough to determine that the remaining Horcruxes would need to be found and destroyed. Rather than bringing this news to The Order like intelligent adults, they had taken matters into their own hands.

On the night that Dumbldore had died, he had taken Harry Horcrux hunting. Harry had not understood, at the time, the significance of the act, but he understood it now, and so he attempted to track down the RAB who had written the note that they found that night. Ginny, who apparently had a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, had sought out Regulas Black whom they suspected might have had the locket. Professor Black, who is the current transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts, did indeed have the locket, or so it would seem as Ginny was caught leaving his personal quarters with the Horcrux in her possession.

I took over the discussion at that point sharing what I new about Miss Weasley's current condition and the present mindset of the Dark Lord.

Alastor had surprisingly good news. They were able to destroy the soul fragment in the locket in the same way that they had destroyed the diary: basalisk fang. No one had gotten hurt in the process. It was almost a miracle.

As the meeting dragged on, I noticed Hermione shifting uncomfortably. She was still healing and sitting still like for so long that was clearly painful for her. I wasn't sure what to do. It was obvious that she didn't want to leave, and I'd no desire to argue with her in front of these people, but she needed to lie down. I forced them to wrap it up. I didn't want them to be here any longer than necessary anyway.

When they were finally gone and there was once again peace in my house, I commanded her to take another pain potion and rest for a while. She was too weak to return to her room on her own, so I carried her like a child. She made a feeble attempt to pull me into the bed with her.

"Please, stay with me for just a little while," she requested.

I sighed heavily. It was very hard to say no to her. "Just for a few minutes," I answered.

She fell asleep almost instantly, and I lay with her in my arms, placing soft kisses on her skin and watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her breast. I had failed her so badly. I would never in a million years forgive myself.

**HPOV**

The next few days passed by slowly. My body healed and I gradually went back to my old routine. I had gotten the news Ginny was returned to Hogwarts relatively unscathed, but I wished that I were able to speak with her. She was surely experiencing some lasting psychological effects if not physical. I hoped that I might be able to help.

The Order was making plans to remove her from the school. After what had happened they believed that she was too big a target to stay in school. She would go to the safe house with Harry and Ron.

While we had largely resumed our routine, Severus had not touched me in a sexual way since that horrible night. In fact, he'd been rather standoffish. I had assumed that he was waiting for me to heal fully. When he still didn't take the initiative, after a few days, I decided that it was time for me to let him know that I was ready. It was a touchy subject though. As a submissive it wasn't really my place to request a session, and I wasn't quite sure how to bring it up.

We sat in the library together, him in the overstuffed chair and me stretched out on the couch.

"Master?" I asked, trying to find the courage to continue. He raised an eyebrow at me. If I had simply wanted his attention, I would have called him Sir. "I just wanted to let you know that I am fully healed and feeling better."

"And?" he asked. I wasn't surprised. I had known that he wouldn't make this easy on me.

"And I would like to resume the training that we were working on before last week."

"You want me to take you back into the playroom?"

"Yes, Master."

"I beat you within an inch of your life and you would willing lay yourself under my whip again? Are you mad or simply stupid?"

I opened and closed my mouth several times without speaking. Why was he reacting this way? I felt tears sting my eyes as I was reduced to that same silly schoolgirl that he used to rebuke in his classroom. Was it not him who had taught me that what happened in the Dark Lord's presence had nothing to do with what we did in the playroom? What had I done wrong?

"I am neither mad nor stupid," I finally answered. "What happened the other day has nothing to do with our relationship."

"No?"

"No," I said more firmly. "You didn't have a choice. You told me from the very beginning that the playroom was different from the throne room. You didn't want to do that."

"It doesn't matter if I wanted to do it," he spat. "I did it anyway. And any woman who would willingly submit herself to a man who had abused her is a fool."

"Abused me? You make it sound like you pushed me down the stairs because dinner wasn't done on time. You acted under the command of a very powerful dictator. It is not the same thing!"

"It's exactly the same thing! I swore to protect you, and then I made you bleed like a stuck pig. I knew that you had teenage hormones but surely you're not so desperate for a fuck as all that."

My eyes grew wide. "What?" I whispered. This didn't make sense. Why would he say something so hurtful? Surely he knew that there hadn't been another option. "If you hadn't done it, he likely would have killed Ginny and me both. You kept me alive, protected the Horcrux. You did what you were supposed to do!"

"I was supposed to turn your back into hamburger with a leather whip? I must have hit your head as well."

"I am not out of my mind!"

"Surely you are if you think that I have any desire to see your naked back ever again," he shouted.

My breath caught in my throat. That was it. He had damaged me, and he didn't want me any more. The tears rolled down my cheeks.

He couldn't stand to look at my marked skin.

He thought I was ugly.

I ran from his presence.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**SPOV**

I breathed a sigh of relief as she ran from the room. I hadn't meant to be so vicious, but surely she couldn't expect more of me.

She wanted me to take her back into the playroom where I would have to face the unforgivable thing that I had done to her. It would not be so. I would not look at the evidence of how I had hurt her and pretend that it didn't happen. Her scars would be a visible reminder of every painful stroke she had taken because of me, at my hand. I would not call myself her Dom, her protector, her lover, after having betrayed her trust in such a way.

She was naive. She didn't understand just how very dangerous I was. Nothing good would ever come from her association with me. Why had I ever thought that I could do this? I had been selfish. I had put my wants before her needs. I had always known that it would end badly. I just hadn't expected her to want to continue it past that awful night. She had been pretty well recovered for a few days and she hadn't mentioned it, so I thought that it had been clear that it was over. Never had I seen a submissive so badly abused and still willing to play. She had been almost a week recovering. In the wizarding world that was an incredibly long time. I had led her astray if she somehow believed that what I had done to her was in any way acceptable.

I would distance myself from her, and she would forget. We would go back to keeper and ward, professor and student, and some day, years from now, when this was all behind her, she might think to find another Dom. I hoped that if she did, she would remember some of what we had done together fondly. She would make another man very happy. I swallowed that feeling down immediately. The worst thing that I could do for her now was get sentimental.

I set down the book that I had been studying. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on it again tonight.

I wondered through the hall and down the stairs, silently unlocking the playroom and entering in the dark. I sat just inside the closed door on the hard floor and took in the smell of the room that I so loved. It smelled of leather furniture, and candle wax, and something unidentified that was raw and sexual.

I pictured binding her to the sawhorse in the corner, watching as she willingly, stupidly gave her body over to me.

I felt the whip in my hands.

I heard it crack.

I watched her bleed.

I cast a privacy spell and screamed myself hoarse.

**HPOV**

I couldn't stand for this. If he didn't want me, I didn't want to be here. I opened my school trunk and started magically throwing all the clothes from my closet and dresser into it. I didn't have many personal effects, only what had been sent here when Severus inherited me, but those went in as well.

My breath caught in my throat when I watched the vial of my virgin blood remove itself from the bedside drawer and pack itself away. I had forgotten that it was there, and it brought a flood of memories of that first night. I could still feel his warm breath on my neck, his lean body behind me, the evidence of his arousal pressing into my ass as his hands cupped my breasts. I squeezed my eyes shut and brushed the tears away with my palms. I didn't have time for this.

When I was sure that the room was bare of my presence I reduced my trunk to a manageable size and crept out to the library with it under my arm. I stepped into the fireplace with a handful of floo powder and asked to go to the safehouse.

I landed perfectly on the living room rug of the safehouse, in front of a startled Professor Lupin.

"Hermione, the year that I was your teacher you came to ask me about a homework assignment. You said that you had already rewritten the paper four times and were still unsatisfied. What was the topic?"

I smiled a little at the question. I hated that paper. "The psychology of the Merpeople/Grindylow relationship," I answered.

"Good. It's you. Now tell me what's wrong."

Harry and Ron appeared a moment later, and I made a fool of myself sobbing while I tried to explain that Severus and I had a fight. Ron got all bent out of shape immediately and managed to make things worse.

"It's not like that, Ron. He didn't touch me. He just yelled, and I didn't like it." I couldn't of course tell them what the real problem was, so I lied. "I borrowed one of his books, and I was using it in the lab. I accidentally dropped it because I was watching the potion instead, and it was ruined. I felt terrible about it really."

"Well all know how much you love books, 'Mione. Any fool would know that it was an accident."

"Yes, well he yelled at me, and it scared me. I just didn't want to stay there tonight. Could I maybe stay here?" I looked to Remus for an answer.

"Of course, Hermione. We'll find a way to keep you here. Frankly I'm surprised that you've managed this long. He's not the most agreeable man." _Not agreeable? That was the understatement of a lifetime._

They accepted me with open arms and gave me a room next to the boys. The adults determined that nothing else needed to be done before morning. It would sort itself out tomorrow.

As soon as I was the least bit settled, Harry and Ron swept me into their room and began bombarding me with possible Horcrux ideas and plans for Ginny's escape from Hogwarts. I barely heard it.

Only one thought consumed my mind: I was seventeen years old and already so badly marred that no man would ever desire to touch me again. Of course there was only one man that mattered anyway, and he had cast me aside with his cruel words and hateful sneer. How could he do this? It wasn't my fault.

"You look tired Mione are you all right?" Harry finally asked. They were so oblivious, so very much the opposite of my Master... ex Master... who saw everything. I swallowed thickly.

"I think I'll just lie down for a bit," I answered.

I felt lifeless and hollow. I had trusted him to meet my needs. I needed him.

I curled into a ball on Ron's bed and drifted to sleep.

**SPOV**

I woke in the playroom, unsure of what had happened. How much time had passed? What had I done? I knew that I owed her an apology. I had acted rashly. I was terrified by the thought of harming her, and I had spoken out of fear. It was still true that we needed to end this; it wasn't safe for her. But, I should have talked to her about it rationally. She was an extremely intelligent woman. She would have understood if I had managed to keep my temper in check.

I looked at the time as I made my way upstairs. It was almost three in the morning. She would no doubt be sleeping by now. Should I wake her? I decided that I should. I knew that she would not sleep well with our argument hanging over her head, and neither would I.

I tapped softly on her door. She did not answer, but the door was not warded. She would have tried harder to keep me out if she really didn't want to speak to me. I pushed it open slowly.

"Hermione?"

I lit my wand dimly. Her bed was empty. I looked frantically to the closet as if she might be playing hide and seek. Her clothes were gone.

"Hermione!" I yelled. I ran down the hall to the library. She was absent.

She left me. Where would she go?

There was only one real answer, only one place she could go. I stepped into the floo.

The safe house was quiet and dark when I arrived. I moved quickly and quietly through the house, not disturbing the sleeping occupants. I found her trunk in a vacant guest room. She was here somewhere. I had passed through most of the common areas on my way in and I hadn't seen her. That left the bedrooms. I felt an uncontainable anger well up in my gut. Why was she not in her bed? I knew the answer, although I dreaded its truth.

I silently pushed open the door to the room that Potter and Weasley were sharing. It had been left open a crack, unwarded, unalarmed. The three of them were curled up together on one bed. It didn't occur to me that they were fully clothed or lying on top of the blankets. All I saw was red.

**HPOV**

I felt warm and safe in his arms. His long lean body was curled around me, his arm across my waist, and someone was trying to take me away from him. "No," I muttered, but I found that I could not speak.

I opened my eyes. I was being roughly hoisted out of bed. I panicked. I tried to cry out but my voice had been silenced. I thrashed wildly, tying to escape my captor. It wasn't until he had tossed me on the bed in the vacant guest room that I was able to determine what had happened. My Master had come after me. He'd found me asleep in the boy's room, and he was furious.

He warded and sound-proofed the room quickly and effectively. It was some of the most beautiful magic that I had ever seen. He was glorious in his anger. I only wished that it were not directed at me. He moved quickly, returning my voice and then towering over me as I sat on the bed.

"Could you not wait five minutes before falling into another man's bed? How dare you disgrace me in this way!" He barked. I flushed with embarrassment. I hadn't meant to...

"Wait!" I jumped up from the bed and paced the room. "It's not what it looked like. I was upset. I fell asleep."

"Tangled between two horny teenage boys!"

How dare he turn this on me? He was the reason that I left in the first place. "What the hell do you care anyway? You're the one who no longer wanted me."

"You didn't even have the decency to remove your collar before you let them fuck you?"

"What? I did not fuck them as you so crudely put it." I fingered the leather collar still at my neck and let the tears fill my eyes. "They are my friends. They accept me for who I am, no matter how many scars I have, which is more than I can say for you."

He advanced on me, his physical presence overwhelming me as he backed me into the corner. I trembled with a combination of fear and rage.

"They will not touch you," he growled.

"You didn't want me."

"You belong to me."

"You said that I was ugly, unworthy of you. You rejected me!" The tears poured down my cheeks.

He hand closed around the side of my neck, his thumb stroking my collar. His eyes widened as he heard me. He was just inches from me, and I could scarcely breathe.

"What?" he whispered. "Ugly? No. I never said that. I would not lie to you." He sounded... broken. The heat had gone from his argument.

"You implied it," I spoke softly matching his tone. "You refuse to look at me. I know that my scars are unattractive, but I thought that you of all people would understand..."

"Your scars? Is that what you thought that I meant? No, Hermione. You are not ugly."

"Then why?" I whispered in return. "Why did you reject me?"

"I know what I did to you. I cannot face you knowing how I betrayed your trust. I almost killed you."

"You had no choice," I sobbed into his chest. "Believe me when I tell you that you did the very best thing. You protected me with your cruelty. I'm alive, Severus. I'm still alive."

He tipped my head back with his hands and pressed his lips to mine. I was so stunned by the action that he'd pulled away before I could even respond. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered.

"I belong to you," I offered.

And then he kissed me in earnest, his lips firm and instant against mine. He pulled me close as he kissed me and for the first time, I knew what it was like to truly be his lover. I lost myself in the overwhelming sensation. When he took my bottom lip between his teeth I groaned helplessly into his mouth.

"Never leave me like that again," he commanded breathlessly, his forehead pressed against mine, our chests heaving together.

"Never."


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

**SPOV**

I kissed her hard until her pink lips were swollen, and she was panting for breath. She was so beautiful. How could she have ever thought otherwise?

I needed to come up with a plan. I had never been particularly effective at lying to myself, and I had to admit that I was far more emotionally involved than I had ever wanted to be. It was dangerous for her. I could not love her. But as I tangled my hands in her hair and kissed her perfect lips I admitted to myself that I did love her in the only way that I could. I would give my very life for her, and it just might cost me that.

She fumbled with my belt and my trousers, and I pressed her into the wall. Fuck the plan. I'd think about it later. Right now, I needed to feel her.

The moment she freed my erection, I pushed her skirt over her hips and lifted her by the back of thighs. She wrapped her legs around me as she sunk down onto my cock. She whimpered into my mouth, and I nearly came right there. I lowered my lips to her shoulder and took her hard against the wall.

"You are so fucking beautiful. Don't you ever believe otherwise. I would never say those things about you."

She dug her nails into my shoulders and her heels into my ass. I did not relent.

"And I never _never_ want to find you that way again. You will not be on the same bed as those boys... ever," I growled. "When I get you back to the playroom I am going to chain you to the wall and torture the fuck out of you for scaring me like that."

"Yes, Master," she moaned. She didn't seem to be too put off by the threat of torture. She didn't seem much for conversation right at the moment either. She had the right idea.

I kissed her deeply, slowing my hips just a bit so that I wouldn't smack her head against the wall in the process. Her mouth was warm and sweet. Why had I denied myself the pleasure of kissing her for so long? It had done nothing to curb my emotional response to her. I was a fool. I sucked gently on her tongue, and felt her tighten around my cock.

"Fuck," I sighed against her lips. "Come on, beautiful. Come for me." She threw her head back against the wall with a dull thump and cried out.

When she was once again still in my arms I carried her to the bed and laid her down on her back. I made love to her more slowly taking immense pleasure in her body as she sighed and relaxed under me. I removed her clothes and mine as well until there was nothing between us. Her skin was soft and slick with sweat.

I was quite sure that she didn't know it but with every touch, every kiss, I promised to protect her. I would never hut her like that again. Never.

I curled myself around her sometime later, pulling the blankets over us to keep out the chill.

"Goodnight, my love," whispered to her already sleeping form.

I woke before the sun came up. The house was still quiet, but I would need to leave soon if I didn't want to be caught here. Hermione was still curled around me, her unruly hair all over the place as usual. I smiled into it. I would never admit it aloud, but I loved it when her hair got tangled and crazy.

I stroked the side of her face with my fingers. "Wake up, dear one. We have things to discuss."

She stirred. She never was a heavy sleeper. "Sir?" she asked groggily.

"We need to discuss a few things before the rest of the house wakes up." She snuggled her nose deeper into my chest and sighed.

"I'm listening," she mumbled.

"Hermione, I can't hurt you like that ever again. I was too close to losing you. It would destroy me to have to do it again. I need to focus on bringing down the Dark Lord, and I can't have you as a distraction."

"What are you saying?" She asked, her voice alarmed.

"I want you to stay here at the safe house. Don't come home with me."

She lifted her head, suddenly more awake. "What? No."

"Stop," I commanded. "Hear me out."

"No. I want to stay with you, be your submissive." I pressed a finger to her lips effectively silencing her.

"You can still come to my house to help me with the brewing, and we can still have our time together although it may have to be less frequent. You may even be able to spend the night now and then, but you need to listen to my plan." I took my finger away from her lips, and she nodded.

"I want to tell the Dark Lord that I traded you to The Order in exchange for information. I'm going to take him the destroyed locket in an effort to get him to reveal more information about the other Horcruxes. If I don't have you in my possession, he can't force me to bring you before him. You can stay here and help The Order."

"Won't he be upset that you lost me?"

"Not if he thinks that I did it for his benefit."

I could see her thinking it over. "You'll still let me help with the brewing? And you'll take me back to the playroom?"

I pulled her to my chest and hugged her. "Yes. You can floo over any time you want. I just don't want the Dark Lord to be able to command your presence at anytime. I can't focus with you there. I need for you to be somewhere safe."

"Why now?" She had to ask.

Fuck. I didn't want to lie, but I wasn't about to tell the whole truth either. "I didn't know how much hurting you would effect me."

"It really wasn't any different than any of the other times..."

"It was different for me."

"Why?" she persisted.

"Because I almost killed you."

"You wouldn't have." She sounded so sure. Her faith in me was both overwhelming and terrifying.

"I could have."

"You didn't."

"It doesn't matter now. I will not allow it to happen again. I want you to obey me in this decision. Stay here and let me work for an end to all of this. When it's over, we can come up with a more long term solution if that is what you want."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Yes, Master," she whispered. I hoped that I would live long enough to make other arrangements with her.

"Good girl," I said, flipping her onto her back and pinning her soft, naked form beneath me. I really wanted her, but I knew that I had to get moving. "I'm going to go home and change. I'll be back in an hour to discuss the new arrangement with The Order."

I reluctantly left her warm bed and pulled my clothes on. I opened the bedroom door and came face-to-face with Remus Lupin.

**HPOV**

"Good morning, Severus. I thought I recognized your wards." Fear sunk into the pit of my stomach. Oh no.

"What do you want?" Severus asked.

"I want to know if Hermione is all right."

I pulled the blankets up over my naked breasts, terribly embarrassed. "I'm fine Professor."

"Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen. We're going to discuss this before anyone else wakes up."

The men left, and by the time I emerged fully dressed they were sitting at the breakfast table together drinking coffee. Severus had obviously gone home. His hair was still in greasy disarray so he hadn't showered, but he had changed his robes. I slid bonelessly into the chair next to him. What now? Would Remus try to break us apart?

There was a long an awkward silence before Remus spoke. "I can't say I'm terribly surprised. The two of you have been keeping very close quarters and have been pushed into a difficult and demanding situation. I should have known that you would form some sort of a bond over it. I knew that something wasn't right when Hermione said that you'd fought over a book. The odds that she would ruin a text were pretty slim, even if she did claim that it was an accident." He turned to me. "I've never known you to be accident prone."

I nodded. It had seemed like a good excuse at the time. It was the best I could some up with on short notice.

"Is someone going to explain what is going on?" he continued.

I looked to Severus who sat unmoving.

"It's my choice, professor," I answered slowly. "As you said, we have been put into a difficult set of circumstances. We've learned to trust each other and to take comfort in each other as well. There is nothing wrong with that. Outside of the Dark Lord's castle, I have willingly consented to this relationship. I want this. I know that our relationship probably seems unorthodox, but I'm happy. He makes me happy. And I think after all that has been asked of me, I deserve that."

Remus studied me carefully as my Master sat passively by and let me talk. "What was your fight really about?"

I sighed. "It's personal."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. We've resolved it. And, we have a new plan to present to The Order."

He looked back and forth between Severus and I. "Hermione, you're a legal adult so I can't tell you what to do, but in all good conscious, I can't really allow this to remain hidden."

"Of course you can," Severus muttered. "You're choosing to complicate matters."

"He is a master manipulator, Hermione."

"He did not manipulate me!" I was seething. How dare he suggest that Severus was taking advantage of me? "_I_ went to_ him_. Do you hear me Remus? It was _my_ choice. I didn't want the Dark Lord to be able to dictate my sexual experiences, so I went to Severus on my own terms, and he very graciously agreed to accommodate me. He has been nothing but an understanding and generous lover. I will not allow you to speak ill of him after what he's done for me."

"Hermione he's twenty-five years your senior!"

"You think that matters to me? I'm old enough to fight in a war but not old enough to make my own relationship choices? I did not ask for this war. I didn't ask to be yanked out of school so that I could hunt Horcruxes and watch one of my best friends bleed in a goddamn monkey cage. The one thing that I _did_ ask for is this relationship, and I'll be damned if you're going to take that away from me because you think that he's too old for me."

"Calm down, Hermione. You're being irrational," Remus spat. I'd never seen him upset like this.

"Don't speak to her like that," Severus came to my defense. "You asked for an explanation, and she gave you one. She doesn't need to defend herself to you."

"Maybe she doesn't, but you sure as hell do. You can't honestly believe that you're good for her. Don't you see how much danger you've put her in?"

Hurt flashed across my Master's face but he hid it quickly. "Of course I do. I know much better than anyone in this house the danger she's in because of me. Which is why she's staying here."

"What?"

"What is all this commotion about?" A sleepy Minerva McGonogal entered the kitchen. "Keep your voices down. The whole house can hear you."

I blushed. I had assumed that Severus had cast a privacy spell. The room suddenly grew very quiet.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," Severus finally spoke. "When everyone is awake Hermione and I will share our plan with the rest of you. For now, I have brewing that needs to be done. I'll be back in an hour." He stood from the table.

"I'm coming with you," I said, quickly following him.


	29. Chapter 29

_A/N: Out of the frying pan into the fire. hehe I love this chapter. _

**Chapter 29**

**SPOV**

I wasn't quite sure what to think. Never in my life had anyone come to my defense like Hermione just had. I was accustomed to speaking on my own behalf, or more accurately maintaining silence on my own behalf, which was often the best strategy when the truth was not favorable. I rarely felt the need to justify my actions but I was... touched by the way she'd tried to come to my aid. She really was a remarkable woman.

I walked swiftly to the lab, her feet padding along quietly behind me. In one hour there were only so many potions that we could start. I gave her one and took another for myself. We worked for the first few minutes only discussing ingredients that needed to be passed back and forth, but as the starting phase gave way to stirring, we were able to talk more freely.

"Thank you, Hermione, for handling most of that discussion. Remus reacted better hearing it from you than he would have hearing it from me."

"I came to the same conclusion," she said. "It's my life anyway. I appreciate his concern, but he's not really in a position to tell me how to live."

"This is about to become much more public. Are you still sure that this is what you want?"

Her eyes widened for a moment before she answered. "Yes. I'm quite sure. I am a little concerned about Harry and Ron though. I would still prefer to keep this from them as long as possible. The Order is one thing—it may even help if they understand—but Ron just isn't going to take this well."

I nodded. She was right. And as much as I wanted to see the look on his face when he found out she was mine, I didn't want to see her hurt anymore. Her friends were liable to make this difficult. I wasn't about to ask her to choose between them and me. I wasn't entirely sure that I would win.

"I will ask the rest of The Order to leave them out of it for as long as possible, but it would be foolish to ignore the truth that they will find out eventually."

"I know," she sighed. "I guess it would be best if I told them myself rather than waiting for them to hear it behind my back."

"That's entirely up to you, Hermione. I would go with you, should you choose to tell them, but I would probably only make it worse with my presence."

She laughed a little at that and brushed her unruly hair out of her face. "Thanks for the offer, but I think it would be best to tell them far away from you. Knowing Ron he'd try to hex you, and you'd be forced to kill him. I would prefer to keep my friends alive."

"Pity," I smirked. At least she knew who would win that fight.

She playfully punched my arm. "Be nice. They are the only friends I have."

I caught her wrist in my hand and pinned her against the lab table. "Who needs friends when there are Dominants in the world?" I asked.

She pressed into me willingly. I turned and blew out the cauldron fires with my wand before lifting her onto the workspace and kissing her deeply. My hands found the soft flesh of her thighs under her robe.

"I thought we agreed not to fool around in the lab," she murmured, before pulling me into another kiss and wrapping her legs around my hips. She was right. We needed to work. But, I didn't give a fuck right at the moment. I had almost lost her, and I wasn't done reclaiming her yet. I wouldn't be satisfied until she could no longer walk straight.

"I make the rules," I protested as I pushed the layers of clothes up around her hips, baring her to my gaze, "and I want you. Now." She mumbled her agreement between searing kisses.

"I still owe you a spanking for that little stunt you pulled last night." My fingers found her wet pussy and she spread wider for me. "I was going to take you to the playroom, but I don't want to wait. Will you take your punishment now?"

"If it would please you," she answered.

"It would please me. I very much like the idea that you will tell the Order that you belong to me while your ass is still red from my paddle and my seed is still wet on your thighs." I pulled her down from the workspace, removed her robe, and bent her over the table instead.

"Do you think they will know what a greedy little slut you are?" I watched her flush with embarrassment at the thought. "Your face gives you away so easily. They will watch you squirming in your seat and know that you like to be spanked like a bad girl. Their star pupil reduced to begging for her Master's cock."

She whimpered slightly but allowed me to manipulate her body, positioning her where I wanted her and tying her wrists together. I bound her swiftly to the table leg. It wasn't ideal, but it would do. We were annoyingly short on time. I pushed her skirt up over her perfect, round ass and debated what to use on her. No whips. I wouldn't be able to do that again for quite a while. I considered using my bare hand, but I wanted a bigger impact. She would not be found in that position again.

If I used a ridding crop, I could fuck her and punish her at the same time. I was annoyed at my own lack of pre-planning. My crops were all in the playroom. This morning was not at all going according to my normally scheduled existence.

I left the room without a word and went across the hall to retrieve a crop. I paused in the doorway for a moment as I returned and just watched her. She was laid across the table, parallel to the door, so I could see the full length of her body, her breasts pressed against the wood, her bare ass and legs draped over the side. She was shifting slightly due to the awkward position in which I'd left her. Her eyes were closed, her wild hair framing her face. She looked aroused, excited, nervous, and somehow at peace all at the same time. She was so fucking beautiful.

I draped my robe over the unoccupied table and circled around behind her flicking the crop into the palm of my hand so that she could hear the solid thwap that it made. Without warning, I brought the rubber end of the crop down hard on her ass, and she jumped slightly.

"You will not..." I hit her again, on the other side. "Ever... Touch those boys... Like that... Again."

I paused for a moment, running my hand over the faint pink welts that bloomed on her perfect skin. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," she moaned. She wiggled her hips, her body begging for my touch.

"To whom do you belong, Hermione?"

"You, Master. I belong to you."

"Fucking right," I growled. I freed my cock from my pants and slid all the way into her tight channel. Holy fuck. I pulled almost all the way out and brought the crop down on her right thigh. She squealed as I thrust back into her.

"Beg me for it," I commanded. "Beg me to treat you like the bad little slut you are."

"Please, Master." I fucked her harder. She didn't really have the breath to beg, but she tried anyway, never one to ignore instructions. I caught broken phrases like "punish me, and fuck me" as I whipped her ass and thighs and fucked her thoroughly. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of her. There was no better feeling in all the world.

All of a sudden she let out a shriek, and it wasn't an erotic one. I dropped the crop, and it clattered noisily to the floor. "Red, red, red," she said struggling to free herself. Safe words. What was wrong? I pulled out of her and backed off immediately.

"What's wrong?" I still hadn't found the cause of her distress.

It wasn't until I followed her line of sight that I understood. Weasley and Potter stood in the open laboratory doorway taking in the sight that I had admired myself not ten minutes earlier.

My mind spun. I hadn't warded the floo. We were planning to go right back. They had simply walked right into my house and followed the noise to the unlocked lab. How could I be so stupid? Caught, twice in one day. It was too much of a coincidence, I realized. Remus had sent them deliberately. Anger swelled in my guts.

I whispered the spell to release my submissive, and she stood up awkwardly pulling her skirt down over her ass. I grabbed my robe from the table behind me and draped it over her, shielding her from their open-mouthed gazes.

"You bastard!" Ron had finally found his voice and his feet, it appeared, as he was charging towards me with his wand drawn.

"No! Ron! No. I can explain," Hermione stammered, putting herself between me and my would-be attacker.

"You sick fuck! How could you do this to her?" He yelled. His eyes were murderous and for once I could almost sympathize. I didn't want to hurt him, but he was getting dangerously close to Hermione, and I would not allow him to harm her in an attempt to get to me.

"Perfectus Totalus," I said calmly, flicking my wand around her back and catching him dead in the chest. He fell backwards with a thump, and I turned my wand on Potter who was still standing stunned in the doorway. I met his eyes. "Are you going to give me cause to petrify you as well?" I asked.

He shook his head no and then moved to Ron's side. When he was convinced that I hadn't killed Ron he look up at Hermione. "You okay?" he asked.

I stepped forward and pulled her back into my arms. She was trembling. "Shhh," I soothed. "It's going to be okay. We'll work it out."

She nodded briefly and then turned into my chest and sobbed.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**HPOV**

I would never survive this. I would face Voldemort every day for the rest of my life if I could erase the last five minutes. No, make that the last 24 hours. How had everything gotten so bad so quickly? This was all my fault. I should never have run away in the middle of the night.

How had this happened? One minute I was in utter bliss feeling my Master, my lover, as he consumed me with his very presence, and the next I was looking up into the shocked eyes of my friends as they looked on in horror. I panicked and let out a shrill scream that I am sure didn't really help anything. My brain felt both empty and overwhelmed all at the same time.

What should I do?

Severus, as usual, managed to take control of the situation, subduing an unreasonable Ron. When he pulled me into the safety of his arms I fell apart. I was mortified. They would never understand. Severus was trying to calm me with his words, but I couldn't even hear him. There was no good way for this to end.

He lifted me from the floor a moment later and carried me to my room like a child. I heard him calmly asking Harry to wait in the lab and not touch anything. He also renewed the charm holding Ron to the floor. I agreed that it was probably best if he not wake up yet. Severus closed and warded my bedroom door.

When the initial panic had worn off and my sobbing slowed, he undressed me slowly and helped me into the shower. He joined me a moment later and held me in his arms as the warm water cascaded down around us.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

I nodded but I really wasn't sure.

"Sometimes when a session is interrupted like that it's best to move into a period of aftercare. It would be hard for me to give you any kind of closure at this point. Do you know what you need, Hermione? Can you tell me how to help you?"

I shook my head. I had no idea. Part of me was convinced that I would never lose this feeling of utter mortification. I felt so vulnerable. I broke down in tears again, and he held me to his chest.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. Turn around. I am going to wash your hair." I didn't see how shampoo was going to improve matters, but I did as he asked, and I found the simple logic of following orders soothing. I allowed him to guide and direct me and together we went one step at a time. Wash. Rinse. Conditioner. Rinse.

"When you are clean, I want you to brush out your hair, dress in your school clothes, and then wait for me in your room. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Sir," I whispered. I was beginning to feel normal again.

He finished washing and drying me a moment later and then left me to go to his own room. I watched him step out into the hall with just a towel around his waist and sincerely hoped that Harry had chosen to stay in the lab.

I busied myself with dressing and thought about what I should say. There really wasn't much to be said. I would tell them the same things that I had planned to tell the rest of The Order. It was my life, and I could choose my own relationships.

When he retrieved me from my room he was freshly changed in black pants and a crisp white shirt. His hair was dry, but hung limply in his face as it often did. He had resumed the exterior of my cold and calculating professor.

He cupped my cheek in his hand and looked into my eyes. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," I answered. He nodded and then led me by the hand.

Harry was sitting in the lab with Ron still on the floor at his feet. I felt a little guilty for not at least asking Severus to move him to a more comfortable location.

"Mr. Potter, I would like you to escort Miss Granger back to the safe house. Please ask everyone to assemble in the meeting room. I'll be along shortly with Mr. Weasley."

"No," I protested. "I should be here when you wake him up. He's going to be completely unmanageable..."

"It was not a request, Hermione." His voice was cold and authoritative. He very clearly did not want to hear my argument.

"What if he hurts you? I won't leave you alone with him."

He glared daggers at me, and I shrunk back against the wall.

"Take his wand," he said, prying it from Ron's fingers. "Surely you don't think so little of me to assume that I could be hurt by a wandless teenage wizard."

He did have a point. I'd seen Severus fight, and I knew that it wasn't really much of an issue. I wanted to argue further, but I knew that would not be tolerated in front of Harry so I tucked Ron's wand into my pocket and allowed Harry to lead me out of the room.

We returned to the Library where I realized how they had entered the house. Neither Severus nor I had warded the floo upon our return. It was only open to the safe house anyway, and we hadn't been expecting visitors. I'd had a lot on my mind, but still it was careless. Truthfully we'd brought it on ourselves allowing lust and rage to cloud our logic. I resolved to never make that mistake again. I would remain vigilant. I could not allow this relationship to put Severus at risk. What if it had been a Death Eater that took us by surprise rather than an ally?

"Before we go, just tell me one thing," Harry said, pulling me from my thoughts.

"What's that?" I asked.

"I need to know, Hermione. Did he force you?"

"No, Harry. It's not like that." I looked into his eyes and could see him struggling to work it out in his mind.

"Not this time or not ever?" he asked.

"Not ever. It started because of the Dark Lord. He didn't have a choice, but he's been very good to me Harry. I don't want you to blame him for whatever you think might be wrong. This is what I want."

Harry shook his head slightly as if trying to clear it. "I don't think I'll ever understand women."

I let out a nervous laugh. "How much did you see?"

"More than I wanted to." He bit his lip, and I thought he was trying to stifle a laugh. "I thought they only did that stuff in the bad Muggle pornos that Duddly watches."

I rolled my eyes, and just like that we were okay again.

**SPOV**

I needed to get Hermione out of here. It was me that he was angry with, and I could live with that, but I couldn't risk her trying to protect me and getting hurt in the process. I was a little surprised that she let it go so easily. She was a good girl. I reminded myself that it had always been the boys who were the defiant ones of the group.

I waited until I heard the distinctive whoosh of the floo signaling their departure before reviving him. He blinked up at me, clearly confused.

"I'm going to let you up, Mr. Weasley, but I strongly suggest that you refrain yourself from idiocy. I have no reservations about hexing you into next week."

"Where's Hermione?" he asked looking around. He was still a little sluggish from the spell.

"She and Mr. Potter returned to the safe house. We will follow them if you're done acting like an immature bull."

"I wondered, you know, that day in the kitchen. I wondered why she wouldn't kiss me, and everyone told me not to pursue it. What did you do to her? Huh? Drug her? We both know that she would never choose you. Did you tie her to the table because you ran out of drugs?"

"Your accusations are completely unfounded," I said calmly. He stood up, and got in my face. I noticed absently that he'd gotten quite a bit taller in the last year.

"Then why did you tie her up? Why were you fucking her in here instead of a bedroom like a normal bloke?"

"Back off, Mr. Weasley."

"No! I will not back off! You hurt her, you bastard!"

I had heard enough. I closed my hand around his collar just below his throat and walked him back into the wall.

"Listen to me you sorry sack of shit. She is mine. Mine! I will do with her whatever I please, wherever I please, and she will fucking love it. Did you not hear her begging me to fuck her harder while she was bound to that table? _I_ would never hurt her. I understand her in a way that your hormone addled brain will never comprehend. You will never be able to give her what she needs."

"I don't believe you. She loves me."

"You don't know what love is," I spat.

"Oh and you do?" he said sarcastically.

I slammed him back into the wall. "Yes. I do."

"Severus?" Hermione's voice came from the doorway. I closed my eyes. Not fucking now. Of all the times for her to disobey me. "Severus, put him down. Please."

"I told you to leave."

"I can't very well let you kill him."

I grunted in protest, but released my hold on the idiot boy. Arguing the virtues of love with him was not going to get me anywhere. I hadn't meant for her to hear that argument, and I was embarrassed by just how much she might have heard. What the fuck was wrong with me? I just couldn't hold it together today. He wasn't stupid enough to push it further.

"Is it true?" he asked her pathetically.

She looked like she didn't know what to say. "Yes," she finally answered. "It's my choice, Ron. I want to be with him."

"You want him to tie you up and do whatever the fuck he was doing to you? No. I won't believe it. That's not you."

She had tears in her eyes but she held firm. "I've learned a lot about myself in the past few months that I didn't know before."

"Bullshit. He's drugging you."

"He's not drugging me, Ron. I need for you to believe me. I asked for this."

"I won't believe you. This is insanity!"

"We need to go and meet with the rest of The Order. We can discuss this later—"

"No!" he shouted at her. My wand hand twitched.

"Ron if you care about me at all you will let this go!" She had tears running down her cheeks, and I went to her.

"You want me to believe that you're some kind of a sick freak who—"

"Enough!" I growled. "You will not insult her in my presence. We're leaving." I pulled her to my chest and let her cry.

I made him walk in front of us on the way up to the library. He didn't have his wand, but I still didn't favor a hex to the back. He continued to protest but much of the heat left his argument when he saw the way that Hermione was clinging to me. He eventually entered the floo without further protest.

I tilted her face towards mine and kissed her gently. "Don't believe him, beautiful. You are an incredible woman."

She nodded and then followed him through the floo.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

**HPOV**

My best friend thought that I was a freak. Well, Harry was at least trying to understand, but Ron… Ron would never get this.

I stepped out of the floo into a room full of glaring Order members. I gave them a sheepish smile and then took a seat on the only empty couch. Severus joined me a moment later.

Professor McGonogal was the first to break the awkward silence. "This is completely unacceptable," she rebuked. "Miss Granger, I am severely disappointed in you. Your lack of judgment is surprising, and Severus, I don't even have words for how I feel about you. You are corrupting a minor in the most unspeakable manor. You are her teacher, and you should be ashamed of yourself."

I took a deep breath and prepared to interrupt her. It wasn't easy. I was not accustomed to arguing with my superiors. I had to remind myself that she was no longer my professor.

"Professor, I am not a minor, and Severus is no longer my teacher. This is my decision and while you may not agree with my judgment, it is still my call to make."

"The hell it is," Remus interjected. "You may be seventeen but you are still under the care of this organization—"

"You have no authority over me," I argued.

Minerva spoke again. "You will be quiet, Miss Granger. I am not above calling your parents." I blanched. That would not go over well.

"That's bullshit and you know it, Minerva," Severus spoke beside me. "She is of legal age and starting a dispute within her family is simply juvenile."

"Juvenile?" She shrieked. "You are sleeping with a student!"

"No. I am not." Severus had this amazing ability to keep his voice calm despite the tension in the room. He was always so in control of himself.

"You tied her up. You were beating her with a switch like a bloody horse!" Ron yelled, off topic as usual. I blushed.

Everything happened so fast after that. Minerva started on a rant about indecency and depravity. Harry was physically restraining Ron. Remus was yelling at Severus who remained motionless beside me on the couch.

I couldn't take it any more. I pulled my wand from my robe and cast an amplification charm on my throat. "Silence!" I screamed. The room fell still.

Severus chuckled beside me, and I shot him a warning glare.

"This is my life and if any of you care about me at all you will remain quiet until I've said what I have to say." I looked at each face around the room. They reluctantly nodded their agreement one at a time. Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, but I pointed my wand at him and he relaxed slightly on the couch.

"Thank you. What we are discussing is a private matter between Severus and myself. No one in this room has a right to know what my sexual preferences are, and you certainly don't have a right to judge me for them, so unless someone else wants to share their favorite sexual position with the group, I suggest that we move on from the compromising position that Harry and Ron happened to witness."

No one volunteered so I continued. "These are the facts that you need to know. One, everything that Severus and I have done together has been consensual. He has not forced anything on me. Initially, we were brought together because of a less than favorable situation, but we have made the best of that and are now participating in a mutual agreement that works for us. Two, I do not wish to change my relationship. I will continue to date Severus, as I have been, and that is not up for discussion. He makes me happy, and if you want to remain my friends," I glared at Ron as I spoke, "then you will respect my decision."

The room was surprisingly still quiet. "Three, Severus and I have a new plan to discuss with all of you. We have more important things to focus on than my sex life. We are in the middle of a war, and as such, I am asking you to accept this and move on. I realize that things may be a little unorthodox, but given the circumstances, we don't have time to define normalcy."

Professor Lupin spoke after a moment. "Hermione, it's not that we are trying to take your decisions away from you. Surely you understand our concern. This relationship is not normal, and it's not healthy."

"I beg to differ. If it weren't for Severus, I would be dead by now. Most of us in this room owe our lives to him."

"That's not the point. Saving your life is one matter but having sex with you, especially the kind of sex that it sounds like you are having, is another." He glared at my Dom as he made the last remark but I was having none of that.

"This is not up for discussion. I'm sorry that Harry and Ron witnessed what they did, but what happens between us in the privacy of his home is no ones business but our own. I am an adult and this is my choice."

"He is endangering you with his selfish behavior."

"He is the most self-less person I have ever met!"

"If you are done arguing over my virtue, we do have more important information to discuss and not much time to share it." Severus was ever the voice of reason.

"Sorry, Sir," I said softly.

"I have come to the conclusion that it is in Miss Granger's best interest to stay here at the safe house. I am going to tell the Dark Lord that I traded her for the locket. If we are fortunate, he will give up additional information about the remaining Horcruxes as a result. We have discussed it, and feel that it's no longer safe for her to stay in my home overnight, but she will still have access to my house and my lab as I will require her help."

"Require her for a shag more like it," Ron interjected bitterly. He was so red that it was almost humorous.

"Ron!" I cut him off.

"It's all right, Hermione. If he cannot discuss this like an adult then it is best to ignore him. If no one else has anything intelligent to add, I will be on my way. I have work to do."

"We are not through discussing this," Minerva said.

"Oh yes we are," Severus said coldly. I shivered.

"I have the locket," Alastor chimed in for the first time in the discussion. He didn't seem to care about our relationship one way or the other. I was grateful that at least one person in the room was more concerned about the war than my sexual activity.

Severus went with him and the meeting broke up. Harry was a dear friend trying to control Ron. Professor McGonogal descended on me immediately however and I spent the next hour attempting to justify my behavior to her without seeming terribly disrespectful.

**SPOV**

She was a force to be reckoned with. I watched her impassioned speech and tried to control my raging erection. Fuck she was beautiful when she really got going.

I ended the discussion as quickly and efficiently as I could, and then left the room with Alastor. I knew that she would still need to have one-on-one conversations with most of The Order before anyone would believe her, but she was holding her own. I was very proud of my little submissive and I had every intention of showing her just how much I approved at the first available moment.

I made plans and prepared as best I could to face the Dark Lord.

"Hermione?" I called walking into the den where she was still explaining herself to a red-faced Minerva. I couldn't help but laugh. The old bat was probably getting quite an education.

"Sir?" She asked, turning to me.

"I am going to go see the Dark Lord now with the locket. I want you to stay here until I retrieve you."

"Yes, Sir."

"Are you okay?" I asked, looking deliberately over her shoulder at the imposing older woman.

"Yes. I will be fine. Thank you," she answered confidently. She might be young but she was fierce.

"Don't let her give you any shit." I was quite sure that Minerva could hear me. "It's your body and your mind and no one should ever tell you what to do with it." I lowered my voice so that only she could hear me. "Unless of course you prefer to surrender it to me."

She blushed, and I smirked.

"Please be careful, Sir."

"I always am." I stepped away from her and made my way to the front door. All of this pot stirring was rather amusing to me, but I had work to do.

I Apparated to the Dark Lord's fortress and took a moment to clear my mind before entering. I needed to have my wits about me if I wanted this to go well.

"My Lord," I said kneeling in my usual fashion. "I have news."

"What is it?" He growled.

"The Order of the Phoenix came into possession of a locket which belongs to you." I produced the Horcrux from my robe and held it out. I met his eyes and slipped into his mind. His rage prevented him from noticing the intrusion. As I had hoped, he quickly reviewed the full set of Horcruxes in his mind, cataloguing them naturally like a mother of seven might count her children when she discovered that something had happened to one of them. It happened too quickly for me to be able to identify them, but if I were to put the memory into a Pensive and study it later I thought that we could recover them all. I had what I needed. Now I just needed to get out of here alive.

"Tell me everything!" He bellowed, advancing on me physically and ripping the locket from me. He knew instantly that it had been destroyed.

I rattled off my rehearsed story of Dumbledore having been responsible for finding the locket. I did not let on that I knew it was a Horcrux. I suggested that Dumbledore had destroyed it before he died leaving The Order completely ignorant to the situation. If I could convince him that The Order was not hunting him I might be able to lull him into a false sense of security. The timeline was sketchy in his mind. He did not frequently check up on his fragmented soul. He thought that my explanation was possible, maybe even plausible.

When I was finished with my explanation he searched my mind. I carefully shielded the things he could not see and offered him news of Hermione instead. He took the bait easily. For a master manipulator, he was actually quite gullible. His weakness was in his overconfidence.

"You returned the mudblood to The Order?"

"Yes, My Lord, in exchange for the locket."

"Pity. She was an enjoyable toy."

"Yes, My Lord," I agreed.

"Good work, Severus. Now, get out of my sight."

He didn't need to ask twice. I could hear him exhausting his rage on an unknown entity as I left him and returned unharmed to my brave submissive.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

**HPOV**

I was exhausted. I could only explain myself in so many ways and it was getting really old really fast. I had blushed the whole way through my conversation with Professor McGonogal. I had always looked up to her, considered her a mentor, but discussing my relationship with her felt horribly like telling my grandmother about it. There were some things that were just better left unsaid. I couldn't say that I was surprised by her conservative point of view.

Harry and Ron were next. Harry was amazing about the whole thing. I wasn't sure why, but he was really accepting of the idea. Ron just wanted all of the graphic details so that he could berate me for my choices. I had never seen him be so closed-minded. Was he really just that conservative or was it simple jealousy? I wasn't sure… probably a combination of both.

The time passed quickly though and I was actually grateful that I hadn't been left alone long enough to really worry about Severus. I knew that he had survived difficult situations many times before, but I still hated to see him put himself deliberately in harms way.

He returned sooner than I expected. The perimeter alarm sounded, and I ran to the door. I wanted to throw myself into his arms as he was coming up the path, but I knew how he disapproved of rash and foolish actions like that. I contented myself with waiting in the doorway, as it appeared that he was unharmed.

He looked over my shoulder as he approached and found the kitchen behind me blessedly empty. He threaded his strong hands into my hair and kissed me deeply.

"You're safe," I breathed when he released me.

"The Dark Lord was convinced, for now, that we remain ignorant to his Horcruxes, and I believe that I have what we need to continue hunting him. Come home with me? There is much that I want to share with you."

"Of course. I should tell someone though…"

"You just can't seem to keep your hands off of her, can you?" The voice of Remus Lupin came from behind me. I did not turn to face him.

"You just can't seem to stop invading our privacy, can you?" Severus replied. He didn't wait for an answer. "Tell Alastor that all went according to plan. I am taking Hermione to my house. I'll return her in a few hours. See that we are not disturbed."

With that he pulled me out of the house and cleanly Apparated to his home.

Severus was not lax in his wards this time, checking every entrance before pressing me into the wall and kissing me hard.

"I am so proud of you," he purred. "You behaved brilliantly." His words warmed me. I wanted to make him proud like this every day. "There is much to do, but I want you first. I need you."

He carried me to his bedroom stripping off both sets of clothing in the process. _He needed me._ He'd never told me that before. Want, yes, but there was a desperation in his voice this time that was different from the others. It was like a longing. Like there was something there emotionally that hadn't been before.

I lost myself in his fevered kisses. My body sang for him. My mind raced, trying to find an explanation for this sudden flood of emotion that I was getting from him. He was normally so reserved. I envisioned his fight with Ron. I'd only caught the tail end, and I hadn't yet had the opportunity to process what I had heard.

"_I would never hurt her. I understand her in a way that your hormone addled brain will never comprehend. You will never be able to give her what she needs." He had said. _

_"I don't believe you. She loves me." Ron replied. _Love. Love. They were discussing love.

_"You don't know what love is." _

_"Oh and you do?"_

_"Yes. I do." _I do. What did that mean?

"Master," I begged, "Please." I wasn't sure what I was asking for. I wanted both an explanation and more of his physical presence. So many times today I had thought that I might lose him. I hated that thought and feared it above all else. No matter what The Order said, they couldn't take him away from me.

He laid me on the edge of his bed, his hands never leaving my body, my own tangled in his hair. He stood between my legs. As if reading my thoughts he echoed me. "They will never take you from me," he promised, and then he filled me.

I cried out my agreement and rose to meet him. "Never."

I looked up into his black eyes as he moved within me. He spoke the incantation aloud even though I knew that he could do with without words. I felt his presence in my mind. I offered him my thoughts, my dreams, my desires.

_Love._

The word echoed in my head.

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine. His fingers dug into my hips pulling me down hard on his erection. He let out a primal growl and filled me with his seed. I wrapped myself around him, never wanting to let go as my body convulsed, racked with immeasurable pleasure.

**SPOV**

She knew. She knew how desperately I loved her.

I pulled her limp body into my arms. I spooned behind her holding her tightly and breathing in her intoxicating scent.

"Is it true?" she whispered so softly that I almost didn't hear her.

"Yes, Hermione," I whispered in return.

She squirmed in my arms until I allowed her to face me. She pressed her lips to mine. "Tell me," she begged. The desperation in her voice echoed the desperation in my heart. The words that she wanted to hear were so dangerous.

Her small hands were warm on my face as she tilted my head and looked into my eyes. The pad of her thumb brushed my bottom lip, and I kissed it softly.

"I love you," I whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she kissed me again. I was both elated and terrified to have it out in the open. If I was honest with myself, I'd known it for quite a while—probably since the night that I first made love to her. She had shown me a beauty and bravery that night that I had never in my wildest fantasies hoped to witness. She was everything good and perfect in this world, but I had just handed her the keys to my destruction. No one had ever held so much power over me.

She took a deep breath, her face now wet with tears. "I love you, too."

I rolled her onto her back and kissed her. I wanted to stay here with her in this bed for the rest of eternity, but these emotional declarations were unfamiliar and in some ways uncomfortable for me. I felt out of control and that was a feeling that I had never liked.

"There is much that needs to be done," I said softly, hoping that she would understand my need to retreat.

She looked hurt for a moment, but then she nodded. Her logical mind was always so quick to catch up with me. She understood me so well, so effortlessly.

"We need to look at the memory?" she asked.

"Yes. I have a Pensive in the basement. Will you help me?"

"With anything that I can."

I pulled her from my bed and watched as she dressed in Muggle comfort clothes. She had the right idea. I pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and retrieved what we needed from the lab. I wanted to work in the library where we would be more comfortable.

I calmed myself and then slowly extracted the memory from my mind. The sliver liquid filled the bowl and I looked down at it.

"What am I about to see?" Hermione asked.

"When I told the Dark Lord I had the locket, he quickly filtered through the remaining Horcruxes in his head. I didn't see them all, but I am hopeful that if we slow the memory down, we may be able to pick them out one at a time."

She nodded to show that she understood, and taking her hand we slipped into the memory together.

The three, which had already been destroyed, came first: diary, locket, and ring. Nagini slithered into the picture next but it was unclear why. Was it possible to make a Horcrux out of a living thing? The scene changed quickly around us, and I didn't see anything from the last blur of locations.

We were both expelled back into the library when the memory was over. Hermione looked dizzy.

"Catch any of that?" I asked.

"Only the snake. Can a snake be a Horcrux?"

"I have no idea," I answered honestly. Really no one knew much about the subject. "Ready to try again? I'm going to use a freezing charm to try to slow it down."

We slipped into the memory again, this time at a slower pace. After the snake we caught a glimpse of a vault filled with various objects.

Hermione cast the same freezing charm again, bringing the image around us to a standstill. "Which object in here do you think it is?" she asked.

"I don't know," I admitted.

"I think that his focus was on that cup, maybe…"

We looked at the cup together. It was really hard to know for sure. We couldn't touch it or manipulate it in any way so we kept it in mind and moved on. Hermione helped me to identify the Room of Requirement in the next scene. The Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw was easily recognizable and made sense with what we knew of his previous choices. If we were correct, that took our number to six. Was there one more?

"We need to report this to The Order," I said reluctantly.

She agreed and we went together to the safe house, pensive in tow. The next few hours were filled with discussing various possibilities and strategies. Fortunately, in the end, it seemed as if we had a plan to find and eliminate the soul fragments. I only hoped that the intelligence I had provided was accurate.

I ate the evening meal with The Order and then retired to my home, kissing Hermione goodbye. My house was cold and empty without her in it. I knew that this arrangement was best for us all, but I missed her anyway. I went to bed early and lay awake in the dark.

I had finally just drifted to sleep when I felt a weight on the bed next to me. I dove for my wand on the nightstand, but she was faster.

"Severus no!" she cried. "It's just me."

"Hermione? What in Merlin's name are you doing? How did you get in here?"

"I lived with you for months. Did you really think that I would not learn your wards? I missed you. I only wanted to see you. I'm sorry if I've angered you."

I breathed a sigh of relief. She had really startled me. I pulled her down into the bed beside me and wrapped my arms around her. It was a terrible stupid thing for her to do, but right now I couldn't even bring myself to care.

_This is why you should never fall in love. _

"You have angered me. It's almost like you're asking to be punished." I could feel her smiling in the dark, and I knew that my assessment was true. "Did you put the wards back up?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good girl. Go to sleep."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

**HPOV**

It was warm and safe in his arms, and I never wanted to move again. I had of course known that I was asking for trouble coming here in the middle of the night, but everything that was in me wanted to be with him. You can't just declare that you love a girl and then leave her lonely like that. I lay there with my eyes closed and listened to him breathing. How I loved this man.

"I know you're awake." His deep rumbling voice sent gentle vibrations into my hair.

"Good morning, Master."

His long fingers curled around my breasts as he pulled me back into his chest. He rolled my nipples between his fingers, and I sighed at the pleasure mixed with a little bit of pain.

"Do you know, Hermione, what happens to a bad little slut who crawls into her Master's bed uninvited?"

One of his hands traveled downward until it cupped my mound. The heel of his hand pressing into my clit as his fingertips gently parted my pussy lips.

"No, Sir," I whispered.

His teeth bit into the thin flesh at my shoulder, and I cried out. Fuck that hurt, but then his tongue was lapping at the place, soothing me.

"Don't move," he instructed. I held still as he reached into the nightstand for something. From my position I couldn't see what he had retrieved, but I felt a cool plastic between my legs a moment later. He parted my labia with one hand and inserted the object with the other. It was nerve wracking to feel what he was doing and not fully understand, but I trusted him and did my best to hold still as he had asked.

He filled me an inch at a time with the object that I now assumed was a dildo of some kind. It wasn't particularly large, not as big as he was, but I felt the intrusion acutely. After a moment he began to fuck me slowly with it.

"Bad sluts like you are denied orgasms until they learn patience. You are mine, to use as I please. I will come to you when I want you in my bed. Not the other way around."

_Surely he didn't mean…_ He fingers stilled when he had the dildo seated firmly inside of me. _He wouldn't…_

"Stand up. Don't drop it."

I tried to do as he asked, standing awkwardly with the foreign object still embedded in me. I pressed my legs together, which helped.

"Walk around to this side of the bed." _Walk? He wanted me to walk like this? _

"But, Sir."

"Now, Hermione." His tone left no room for argument.

It was more of a waddle than I walk, but I did manage to make it around to his side of the bed where he now sat with his feet on the floor.

"Kneel between my legs."

I followed his orders, falling awkwardly to my knees before him. His hardening cock was right at my eye level, and I waited for further instructions as I watched him taking himself in hand and begin to stroke.

"Put your hands behind your back. Use your mouth." He held his cock in one hand and used the other to guide my head until he had pushed his length into my mouth. I sucked him in the way that I knew he liked, and he murmured his approval over me.

"Spread your legs." What? There was no way. I didn't move. He gave a sharp tug at my hair, but did not cease his steady in and out rhythm on my mouth. "Obey me," he growled.

I slowly tried to wiggle my legs apart without losing the toy that was lodged inside of me. Obviously displeased with my progress, Severus put his feet between my legs and forced my knees apart. I wobbled uneasily but managed to hold the dildo and continue to suck his cock. I was becoming really wet and I knew that I wouldn't be able to do this for long.

"Vibrate speed medium," he said. I didn't understand at first but then the object between my legs began to buzz. I shrieked around his cock, but he only fucked my mouth harder, ignoring me all together. Oh God. I would never be able to do this. I tried to tune out the object between my legs and focus on him. The vibrator began to slip from my wet passage. I fought hard to squeeze with my inner muscles.

"Sex speed slow."

_Oh no. _

The dildo slowly began to move in and out of my wet pussy. It was actually easier, I found out after a moment, because now I didn't have to use my internal muscles to try to hold it. I relaxed and enjoyed the feel of it vibrating and fucking me slowly.

"Get me off, Hermione," he commanded. I redoubled my efforts sucking him as hard as I could and taking him deep. I was rewarded with his soft praises as he told me how good I felt sucking him. I wanted to push back against the vibrator, make it go harder, faster, but I had no control over it. I tried to ignore the dull ache that was building in my abdomen.

He came in my mouth a moment later, and I swallowed as he had taught me, and then I licked him clean.

The vibrator did not cease its maddening repetition.

"Stay," he commanded. He stood and left the room leaving me to pant on the floor like a dog in heat. I tried not to squirm but it was nearly impossible. I was so wet, and I wanted to come so badly.

He came back a moment later with a pair of my panties in his hand. I looked at him in confusion. He knelt down behind me.

"Sex off. Vibrate off." The toy ceased its motion, but he held it in place with his hand. "Stand up."

I stood on shaking legs as he held the toy inside of me. _What is he doing? _He guided my feet into the leg holes of the panties in his hand. He slowly pulled them up my legs until they were all the way on. When he removed his hand, the panties kept the slick vibrator in place.

"Get dressed. Go back to the safe house."

"What? No!"

"Do not over step your bounds, Miss Granger," he growled.

His formal use of my last name drove it home. He was going to leave me like this!

"Please, Master," I begged.

"Silence! You will do as you are told. Get dressed. You are not to remove nor touch that toy in any way unless I command you to. Go back to the safe house. I will collect you after breakfast to help me in the lab." And with that he turned and left the room.

**SPOV**

It was high time that she learned orgasm control anyway. I smirked to myself. She wouldn't be sneaking into my house in the middle of the night any time soon after the punishment that I was about to deliver. Holding her last night had been incredible and while I couldn't deny that I had wanted her there, it wasn't safe and it was against my command. I had been lenient with her as of late, but it wouldn't happen again.

I ate my breakfast in the kitchen and thought about how she was probably struggling to ignore the feel of the vibrator buried in her wet pussy as she made her way around her morning routine. A couple hours of stimulation without an orgasm in sight would be good for her. I wasn't cruel enough to leave the vibrator running, but for her first experience this would be stimulation enough.

When I collected her an hour later she looked irritated. When I set her to work in the lab, her irritation looked like full-blown anger.

I ignored her.

"That basil needs to be more finely chopped, Miss Granger. It's a potion, not spaghetti sauce."

She glared daggers at me, but didn't respond. I smirked. She was so fucking beautiful when she was fighting to control that temper.

"Go to the cupboard and get me the green figs." She tossed the knife she was holding down rather harshly and went to the cupboard. The figs were on the bottom shelf, as I knew they would be, and she had to bend down to get them. She moved a little uncomfortably but didn't complain.

She returned with the box of dried figs. "I need the fresh ones," I said, after she had walked the whole way across the room and placed them on the table. "Take those back."

Her face grew red.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"No, Sir," she answered through gritted teeth.

"Then be quick about it."

She returned to the cupboard and replaced the dried figs on the bottom shelf. The fresh ones, of course, were on the top. I watched as she teetered on her toes trying to reach them. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Oh how I wanted to throw her over the lab table and fuck the shit out of her.

After that, I began the true torture giving the command to vibrate the dildo inside her. I left it on for a few minutes at non-critical stages in her brewing before turning it off again without a word to her about it.

Eventually her anger turned to desperation. She had held out longer than I thought she would. She was so strong. The tears of frustration and humiliation streamed silently down her cheeks. I walked to her table and took the knife from her hand.

"Shhh," I soothed wrapping my arms around her. "What have you learned?"

"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. "I'll behave. I won't sneak out at night any more. I promise. I'll listen to you."

"That's my good girl. Put your hands flat on the table." I lifted her skirt up around her hips and pulled her panties down. I removed the toy easily from her slick passage and set it aside. I replaced it with my cock a moment later, my pants around my ankles.

"You may orgasm when you are ready," I said softly. I found her clit with my fingers, and she came almost instantly her whole body sobbing with relief. I fucked her through a second orgasm and eventually found my own.

When we were finished, I cleaned us both with my wand and straightened her skirt, not bothering to replace her panties.

"You okay?" I asked, turning her to face me.

"Yes, Master," she said softly.

"It is dangerous for you to leave the safe house unaccompanied. You will not do that again. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good girl." I took her into my arms and kissed her sweetly.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you just spank me?"

I laughed. "Because, Hermione, for you, that is not a punishment."

She flushed red and bit her bottom lip.

"Finish your potion."


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

**HPOV**

When I got back to the safe house later that day I was surprised to find Ginny Weasley in the kitchen. Tonks had managed to kidnap her from Hogwarts where they felt that she was no longer safe. She would be staying with us from here on out. It was great to see her, but also awkward as the last time we'd been together wasn't nearly so pleasant. She wasn't as bubbly as was her usual personality. I understood, at least to some degree, how she felt. This war was going to age us all quickly.

They added another bed to my room and Ginny became my roommate. I watched her over the next few days as the usual bustle of life took over. She and Harry seemed to have something of a personal nature going on, although they didn't come out and admit it to anyone. That was okay. Harry had been very respectful of my relationship, and I would be respectful of his. I politely ignored their stolen kisses and looks across the room. They politely ignored my sometimes-unusual behavior after a session with my Master.

Severus had changed his wards after "the incident" where I'd snuck into his house in the middle of the night. I had yet to crack the new ones, and even if I could take them down I knew that there would be no more sneaking out in the middle of the night. I missed him, but I knew that he was right. It was foolish of me and potentially dangerous.

The new arrangement wasn't too bad all in all. I slept at the safehouse, went to the lab to work, came back for dinner and then, when he wasn't otherwise occupied, spent time with Severus in the evenings before bed. It didn't allow for quite as much time to play as it had when I lived with him, but he still made me a priority, and I valued that about all else. He had become adept at giving me assignments that could be done while we were apart, making me ever more mindful of him when we couldn't be together.

Ron was still sulking but I figured he would have to get over it eventually. He'd at least been quiet on the subject of my relationship and while I was sorry to lose his friendship, I wasn't about to go apologizing. I was sure that he would come around when he was ready.

Plans moved forward within The Order to continue Horcrux hunting. For sake of safety and strategy tasks were divided up and no one ever had too much information about anyone else's projects. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I were excluded from these discussions all together, and we found ourselves largely in the dark about everything. That was both a curse and a blessing as it irritated my endless curiosity and made me feel like a child, but also relived the burden that always comes with knowledge.

When I wasn't working with Severus, the other members of The Order saw fit to make us finish our educations, especially now that Ginny, only a sixth year, was here. We would still be expected to sit our NEWTs when this was all over… if it was ever over.

"Mione?" I looked up from my journal where I had been writing my personal thoughts for the week.

"Yes, Harry?" He came in and closed the door behind him. He was alone.

"I was hoping that I could talk to you. Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, what's this about?"

"Um. It's about you and Snape… sort of."

He had been so good about this. Why did he feel the need to rehash it now? "Harry, we've been over this. My relationship with—"

"No. It's not that. I, uh, I just wanted to ask you for some advice."

"Oh."

"See Ginny and I…"

"Yeah, I've noticed." I gave him a sheepish smile. "You look great together."

"Thanks. Yeah, it's been really great. She's amazing, and I really love her."

"That's great, Harry. I'm glad that you're happy. So what's the issue?"

"I know that this is personal. So you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but what I saw you and Snape doing with the uh… you know... on the table..."

"Would you just spit it out, Harry? I have no idea what you are trying to ask."

"I can't believe that I'm about to admit this, but I want to try it. I want Ginny to tie me up like that."

My jaw fell open. I had no idea what to say. A really awkward silence filled the room.

"Come on, Mione. Say something. It's not wrong is it? I mean for a bloke…. I thought that it could… both ways… you know?"

"Of course, Harry. You've just surprised me is all. Really surprised me."

Surprised was the understatement of the century. Harry was interested in becoming Ginny's submissive? My brain hadn't quite caught up with that yet. "It can go both ways, yes. There are male submissives. I haven't met any, but of course I haven't met any other female submissives either, but I have this book that talks about how that works."

Harry laughed. "Of course you have a book. What don't you have a book for?"

I blushed. "Yeah, I know. Um, how does Ginny feel about it?"

"Well we kind of talked about it, and she's willing to try it out, but we didn't know where to begin. That's why I came to you. Not to get too graphic or anything, but I thought that maybe you could kind of get us started in the right direction."

"What, uh, what made you even think of this in the first place?" I asked.

"Well that's kind of a long story, but Ginny witnessed some things when she was at Malfoy manor and while she's trying to put most of that experience behind her, I think it's given her a more open view about sex in some ways... I think she has loads of questions that she'd like to have answered. And for me, well this is kind of embarrassing to admit, but I can't get the image of you and Snape in that lab out of my head... it was really pretty hot, if you want the truth. What was he hitting you with anyway?"

I laughed. "I was really enjoying it up until that last bit. It was a riding crop, like for a horse."

"Yeah? What else does he do?"

"A lot Harry, he does a lot."

**SPOV**

"Sir?" Hermione's voice was calling me from the floo in the library.

"Yes, Hermione?" I called, coming into the room.

"May I come over? I have something to discuss with you."

I took down the wards and permitted her to enter. She took a seat on the couch and I sat next to her.

"Master, Harry came to me today and asked for my help." My mind immediately went to the Dark Lord. _What was that foolish boy planning now?_ "He and Ginny are a couple now." _Ginny? He came to her for relationship advice? _"And uh, they wanted more information about Dominant/submissive relationships. They thought that we might be able to help."

I replayed her last sentence in my head three times before it finally sunk in. "Harry Potter fancies himself fit to fill my shoes?"

"Uh, no, Sir. He sees fit to fill mine."

I laughed. It was funny in a way, but it mostly just shocked the hell out of me. Granted I had tried never to think of the great Harry Potter in any sexual way, but as a sexual submissive was just a bit beyond my imagination. Now Miss Weasley on the other hand, would probably make an impressive Domme. She always had been tough, growing up with all those boys, and she had never taken shit from anyone. Not to mention the fact that she would be hotter than fuck in black leather with all that fiery red hair. It might be a reasonable idea after all.

"What are you proposing, Hermione?"

"I don't know, Master. They are simply asking for additional information."

Outside of the discussion that we had regarding her initial checklist we had never discussed exhibitionism or voyeurism. I knew that she was potentially open to both options, but outside of the Dark Lord's throne room the opportunity had not really presented itself.

"Would you like to give them a demonstration?" I asked.

"If it would please you, Sir, I would be willing."

"Willing or wanting to?"

"I'm not sure, Sir. It would be easier if you would just order me to do it." She smiled when she said it. I frowned. She knew that she wouldn't get off that easy.

"It's a simple question," I said, adding some force and authority to my voice. "Do you want to perform for your friends or not?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Can you make arrangements to have them come here tomorrow evening after dinner?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Go back to your room and write me an essay. The topic is why you would want to be seen performing sexually, publicly."

"Yes, Master."

After I sent her home I sat and debated my options. This was going to be a little awkward for me. I'd done plenty of trainings in the past, and I was comfortable training a female Domme, but the fact that these were my submissive's friends, my former students, and in general a Weasley and a Potter did not make this easy. Of course taking a swat at Harry Potter was in some ways appealing.

I pushed the thoughts from my mind. The Dark Lord was having a revel tonight that I needed to attend, and I wanted to have my wits about me. At least I couldn't be required to bring Hermione, but the odds of my getting off Scott free were slim. I would most likely have to endure a blowjob, at the very least, from an unwilling Muggle woman. The day when this tyrant would fall could not come soon enough.

I dressed appropriately and Appareted to the revel. When I entered the throne room I was met first by the cold gaze of Lucius Malfoy. I hadn't forgotten his abuse of my submissive, and I was patiently biding my time, waiting for an opportune moment to repay him. I mentally renewed my vow as I watched him fuck his wife before the Dark Lord. I had no idea that he still had sex with her. It seemed, sometimes, as if she was the only woman that he wasn't banging.

"My Lord," I said, bowing before Voldemort.

"Severus, I found you a replacement toy."

As he spoke Wormtail dragged a shrieking Muggle woman into the room. She had brown hair like Hermione's, and she was young and fresh. My heart broke for her. So young to die. I cast a silencing charm not wanting to hear her screams and knowing that she would only irritate the Dark Lord. It was going to be a long night. For the next hour and a half he commanded me to do a host of unspeakable things to the poor girl who might look a little like my Hermione but would never be a replacement for her.

I raped her as required and tried not to hate myself. I failed. I was both being unfaithful to Hermione and once again performing an unspeakable act. It mattered little that I had no choice. This needed to end. We needed to find those soul fragments and destroy the wizard once and for all. I could not live this life much longer.

I closed my eyes and confessed my love for Hermione over and over to myself as I spilled my seed inside the broken body of another woman. I knew that she would forgive me, but I would never forgive myself. When I was finished with the girl, I did the most merciful thing that I could. I ended her life.

Half an hour later, I Appareted home to a bottle of firewhisky, and drank until I passed out.


	35. Chapter 35

_Author's note: Sorry this took so long. I wrote myself into a mess realizing that Hermione isn't old enough to Apparate on her own in this story. It's not a big deal, I guess, but it was bothering me. _

**Chapter 35**

**HPOV **

I sat alone in my room and tried to focus on my essay. He would not be pleased if I didn't have a sufficient parchment come morning. I managed another sentence and then let my mind drift back to worry. I knew that Severus was meeting with the Dark Lord tonight, but he had assured me that it was nothing to fret over. "Just a normal revel," he had said, but we both knew that what happened at those revels was anything but normal. He seemed relieved that he wouldn't have to take me with him, and while I never wanted to see another one of those things again, I was not so satisfied. I would worry until he was returned safely to me.

I went to bed on time, obeying my orders, but I didn't sleep well. I lay awake and wished that maybe he would miss me and would crawl into my bed sometime in the night. He never did.

When light filtered through my room the next morning, I was out of my bed like a shot. I was hoping to find him waiting for me in the kitchen, but was disappointed. I ate my breakfast alone, as I was the only one awake. A while later Professor Lupin joined me. He was frequently the first up.

"You're up early," he commented.

"Severus was with the Dark Lord last night," I answered.

"I'm sure he's fine."

"Yes. Well I'd feel better if I saw him with my own eyes," I snapped.

"Well you know his habits better than I do," he said, an unpleasant tone to his voice. "Is he up yet? Call him by floo."

I studied my shoes. Why hadn't I thought of that? Sometimes I wondered what happened to my rational brain. He probably was up by now.

"I think I'll just do that," I answered. I walked quickly from the room trying not to feel foolish. I would call Severus, and he would answer, and then all that worry would have been for nothing.

But he didn't answer when I called.

"It's early Hermione. Who knows how late he was out last night. He's probably still asleep," Remus said, having followed me into the den.

"Of course," I agreed, but I didn't really agree. It didn't feel right to me.

I waited another half an hour impatiently on the couch with an open book on my lap. He still didn't answer my floo call. I began to pace in front of the fire. The house woke a while later, and I was barely aware of people passing as I waited. If he'd had a hard night, I didn't want to wake him, but what if he was hurt?

"Sit down, Hermione," Ron said a while later. I turned and glared at him. I did not need this right now.

When he didn't answer my third call, I cursed myself for having snuck into his house earlier. If I hadn't done so then he would not have changed the wards, and I would be able to enter. I paced across the floor furiously.

"I need to get in. What if he's hurt?" I was frantically attempting to dismantle the complex wards on his side of the floo, when an idea came to me. Why hadn't I thought of it earlier?

"Tink?" I called. "Tink, are you there?"

The tiny elf came into the library a moment later. I could just barely see her with my head stuck all the way in the fireplace "Miss is calling?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank Merlin. I'm worried about Severus. Is he there?"

She was about to answer me when the library door swung open revealing an angry looking Severus winked out of sight.

"What on earth has possessed you to yell at my house-elf at the crack of dawn?" he growled.

I couldn't even care that he was angry. "You're alive," I cried, as he reached into the floo and pulled me through to his side.

I could practically feel him rolling his eyes as he embraced me, but he didn't turn me away. "Of course I'm alive, silly girl. I told you that I would come back. I would never lie to you."

"I was so worried," I sighed into his chest.

He tilted my head back with his fingers under my chin and kissed me deeply. I was so delighted to be back in his arms that I didn't even care when Ron made an immature gagging noise from the floo behind me. I called a simple "mind your own business," over my shoulder as Severus shut the floo connection again.

"Must you always get into trouble?" he asked me, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Only where you are concerned," I answered. "Why didn't you answer?"

"I was still asleep. I made the mistake of partaking of too much drink last night. My head hurts like a bitch."

"Would you like me to fetch a hangover remedy?"

"It's nothing that breakfast won't cure. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I trust that your essay is complete. Did you bring it with you or were you too foolishly occupied with other things?"

"I brought it," I said, producing it from the pocket of my robe. I was glad that I hadn't lost my head to that degree. He smirked as I handed it over.

I sat in silence while he read my essay and ate his breakfast.

"Not bad, Miss Granger," he said, when he'd finished. "Tonight should be interested."

I silently nodded to show my agreement, but he gave me no more time to think about it before he whisked me away to the lab where we had a ton of work to accomplish.

**SPOV**

I was finding it difficult to name the emotions that I was feeling. When she had wakened me at the crack of dawn I had been less than thrilled, but I reminded myself that it was perfectly normal for a person who was in love with another person to fear for their safety. It was hard to be angry when she flung herself trustingly into my arms. So I did what I usually did when I didn't know how to handle something emotionally; I asked for her homework.

The day passed slowly. I was still irritable from the events of the night before but also oddly looking forward to tonight's event. It was sure to be interesting with her friends visiting our playroom. I had spent some time thinking about how I would conduct the evening, but I was open to changing my plan if the need arose.

I sent her home for dinner around six and went down to the playroom to prep. I didn't need much. This was only an introduction after all.

The three of them arrived promptly at 8:00. Hermione had a pink blush to her cheeks, but it was difficult to know if it was from embarrassment or excitement. Harry appeared to be scared to death. It was a beautiful sight.

"Miss Granger, take Mr. Potter down to the playroom and show him where to put his things. I want you in your pose on the mats that I have laid out for you. Mr. Potter will take the place next to yours. I'll expect you to have him properly prepared. Take your time and answer any questions that he may have at this point. We'll be with you in a few minutes."

"Miss Weasley, come with me." She followed me, and I took her into one of the spare bedrooms. "I need for you to be one hundred percent honest with me this whole night. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Sir," she answered clearly mimicking Hermione. This was why I had pulled her aside. She had much to learn.

"You will address me as Severus, for tonight. I am not in a position of power over you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"You have your age and your size to your disadvantage. Do not let them make you appear weaker than you are. Pay attention to what you say and how you move. Be very deliberate about everything that you do." She nodded to indicate that she was with me. I smirked at her. "Good. Let's have some fun."

She had come dressed in jeans and an old t-shirt. She couldn't intimidate a fly like that.

"Your submissive partner will feed off of your presence, your mood, your tone of voice. It's all about you. As such, you need to determine ahead of time what you want for him to feel from you. He should always feel safe, but you should know ahead of time if you are trying to produce fear, arousal, anticipation, comfort, or whatever it may be. Tonight, both of our submissives are likely to be apprehensive because this is new. We're going to use that and attempt to produce arousal as well, which shouldn't be too difficult. We don't want fear. If at any point you think that Harry is actually afraid rather than simply nervous you need to alert me, and we will make adjustments. Do you understand?"

She nodded to indicate that she was still with me. I handed her a book that I had brought out specifically for her. It showed a lot of Dommes in different situations, and specifically showed a wide variety of costuming options. I wanted her to change her clothes. Men were incredibly visual creatures. Just the right outfit would be enough to inspire the necessary arousal from Harry.

"Take a look. We're going to transfigure some clothes for you. This is lesson one: dress for the mood that you want to inspire. What are you aiming for?"

"Arousal," she answered immediately. Good girl.

"Correct. You have the advantage of some foreknowledge of your partner's preferences. Choose what you think will inspire the desired emotion. However, the hard part is that you can't make it obvious that you chose it for him. It's supposed to seem like you picked it because you liked it."

"So I'm supposed to pick an outfit that Harry will like, but make it seem like I chose it for me?"

"Yes. Being a Dominant requires a bit of a balancing act. You have to figure out what he needs, and then make him believe that it was your idea all along. Let's take the example at hand. Harry needs to submit to you, so you are going to meet that need by spanking him. It doesn't really matter if you want to do it or not. What matters is that he believes that you want to."

"What if I do want to?" she asked.

I smiled. "Then all the better for you. I'm not saying that there should be no pleasure in it for you. I'm just saying that his needs come first even if he doesn't know that."

Her eyes grew a little wide but she did not question me further. I continued, "However, you can't just haul off and hit him because we're aiming for submission and arousal together. Not fear. So in preparation you choose an outfit that displays both confidence and sex appeal. You will also choose an instrument that you are comfortable with." I held up my hand to delay her question. "We will get to that in a minute. The thing that I want you to think about for now is what to wear. Questions so far?"

"Is that why you wear such intimidating robes?"

I laughed. She was wittier than I expected. "Yes. It absolutely is."

She turned her attention to the book and flipped through the pages. I had expected her to ask questions or at least comment about some of the activities depicted, but she stuck to the task at hand and didn't spook. I took that as a good sign.

"I like this one," she said after a moment pointing to an image of a woman in a black corset, black leather skirt, and strappy spiked heels. I had to agree. It was a great outfit.

"I'll send my Elf in to help you. Come next door when you are dressed."

**HPOV**

I took Harry downstairs and lead him into the playroom. He seemed a bit jittery. I was too, if I was honest with myself.

I cleared my throat. "Umm, this is the playroom. We're supposed to behave in here, in full submissive mode. So I guess if you have questions, which I'm sure you do, you should ask them before Ginny and Severus come back."

"I'm a little overwhelmed," Harry admitted.

"Me too," I agreed honestly.

"What did he mean by 'your pose' and 'properly prepare him'?"

"He means that we are both to undress and then kneel on those mats over there." I pointed to two of the small rectangular mats that had been positioned next to two identical benches, one raised slightly higher than the other.

"Undress as in naked?" He'd gone pale.

"Yes, Harry. Naked."

"You're okay with that?" he asked.

"Of course. I'm almost always naked in here."

"No, I mean in front of me. And Gin of course."

"Oh." I paused unsure of how to answer. "Yes. I'm okay with that. Master and I discussed it before we invited you. Does it bother you?"

"No. I guess not. It's just a little strange. I mean other than Ginny, no other girl…"

I rolled my eyes and interrupted him. "Don't worry, Harry. I'm not here to ogle your boy bits."

That made him laugh, at least, and then some of the tension dissipated.

"So what is all of this stuff?"

I gave him the brief tour, explaining in rough terms what most of the equipment was for. When we had completed our loop of the room I went to the shelf in the corner where I usually stacked my clothes.

"They will probably be done soon. We need to get into our places. Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so."

I pulled my shirt over my head and folded it. Harry followed my example. I deliberately averted my eyes as we undressed. I'll admit. It was awkward.

"Over here," I said, indicating where he should kneel. "Knees shoulder width apart. Put your hands behind your head. Back straight." I took a quick glance to make sure that he had it right.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Now... we wait."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

**SPOV**

"Lesson two: Never use a tool on a submissive that you are not one hundred percent comfortable with. If you are afraid, your submissive will feel your fear. If you are confident, they will have confidence in you. Usually I start out with bare hands, but I'm not sure that your naked hands will deliver enough of an impact to get through Mr. Potter's thick hide so you're going to use a paddle."

I raked my eyes of the young Domme in front of me. She cleaned up nicely. Harry was bound to be a blubbering mess… even more so than usual.

"This doesn't mean," I continued, "that you should be afraid to use your bare hands. You have advantages that I don't, like fingernails for example, and another female Domme would probably be better equipped to train you to use them. However, using a toy evens the playing field to some degree. It's more about technique and less about brute force this way. Understand?"

She nodded her hand and took the paddle that I offered her. Its twin was in my right hand. She turned it over thoughtfully, naturally adapting to the feel of it.

"That is a training paddle. It has a charm that will indicate the amount of force used. Smack the palm of your hand with hit."

Ginny lifted the paddle and smacked the palm of her hand. A glowing number two appeared on the flat surface of the wood.

"The number indicates force?" she asked.

I nodded. "On a scale of one to ten." I used my wand to call the whipping bench out of the corner. I had brought it up here earlier for her to practice on. "This bench is the same height as the one down stairs. I want you to take a couple of practice swings here to get a feel for the force and location of your strokes."

She knelt down by the bench and I helped her get into the right position. We worked for a minute on getting the right angle. "Go ahead an hit the bench. Aim for a seven."

She swung and produced a five. Not bad for a first try. My cock twitched in my pants at the sound of wood meeting leather.

She swung again consistently managed a range of five to eight. It would do for now. If I left her practice for too long, she would only tire herself out.

"Good enough. Do you have any questions?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay, let's go meet our submissives. I want you to follow my lead, but don't be afraid to ask questions."

She nodded and we went down the stairs together. We paused in the door way and Ginny took in the scene. Our submissives were kneeling side by side in perfect posture with their backs to us. Hermione had done well. The silence in the room was almost deafening. I loved it.

We crossed the room together, Ginny's heels making a distinct click on the hard wood. Harry turned to look at her.

"Reprimand him for moving," I said softly enough that only she could hear me. She swallowed hard.

"You do not have permission to look at me. Turn around," she said. It came out a lot weaker than I had hoped for. She was nervous.

Harry turned around, but he was still fidgety. If I didn't take control of this they would just feed off of each other's nerves.

"Hermione. Safe words," I barked.

"Yellow and red, Master." Her voice was calm and obedient. Perfection.

I raised an eyebrow to Miss Weasley.

"Harry?"

I cringed. "Don't ask. Tell."

She nodded at me and took a deep breath. "Harry. Safe words." _Better. _

"Yellow and red," he answered. I wondered if they had discussed proper forms of address. I was guessing not.

"How do you want him to address you?" I asked Ginny. She looked lost. "Miss? Mistress? Ginny? It's completely your call."

"Miss? I guess?"

"You're still asking. You need to be telling."

"Right," she mumbled mostly to herself. But then she seemed to get the hang of it. She rolled her shoulders back and took a step closer to Harry.

"You will address me as Miss and Severus as Sir unless I tell you otherwise. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Good."

"Hermione, on your bench please." She obediently moved quickly to her position on my command. I had positioned the benches side by side, but with Harry's slightly behind Hermione's so that he would be able to see her at least in part, and Ginny would be able to see me.

I motioned for Ginny to follow me and she walked around to the front of Hermione's bench with me. I heard Harry's intake of breath when he got his first real look at his girlfriend. I smirked and looked down at him. He was flushed pink in a combination of embarrassment and arousal. His cock, at attention, was curled up against his stomach. I had never wanted to see the great Harry Potter naked, but all in all he wasn't unattractive.

"I'm going to bind her hands. I want you to do the same with his," I told Ginny. "Make him bend over the bench in the same position as Hermione."

"Harry, bend over the bench like Hermione." _Good. That almost sounded like a proper command._ He obeyed and moved awkwardly into a position that was pretty close.

"His knees and feet are too close together, and his hips are at the wrong angle. His knees need to be closer to the bench. Can you see it?"

She walked a few steps to get a different angle. "Can I touch him?" she asked.

"Of course, he's your slave. You can do whatever you want with him." She smiled at that, finally realizing that this was supposed to be fun.

She bent over him and whispered in his ear as she repositioned him. It was then that I realized I'd gotten her wrong. She wasn't the commanding type of Domme; she was the subtle type. I would do better to be more physical and less vocal with these two.

"Tell him, Ginny, what you are going to do to him."

She gave me a wicked smile and then pressed her lips to his ear again. I didn't hear what she said, but whatever it was, it worked. Harry groaned softly under her and shifted on the bench.

I went to Hermione and fastened her wrists into the leather cuffs attached to the bench. A moment later Miss Weasley followed suit.

"I'll demonstrate, and then you will do the same. Understand?"

Ginny nodded, and I knelt behind Hermione, paddle in hand.

**HPOV**

The worn leather creaked against my naked breasts, and I made a futile effort to hold still. Master's hand was warm and soft as it trailed up my thigh and over the curve of my ass. A soft whimper escaped my lips.

"I'm going to give you ten, love. Count."

The wooden paddle met my ass with a crack, and I counted. I wanted to be perfect. I would not embarrass my Master in front of Harry and Ginny. I would be the perfect example.

"Three," I sighed. I was beginning to feel the heat rising in my backside. Each blow stung.

I opened my eyes and looked at Harry. He was watching me from his position on the bench beside me. His eyes were wide, but he remained silent. He looked vulnerable, and I remembered a time when I had felt vulnerable this way too. Now I felt only arousal… and pain.

By six I was aching with need. I pressed my hips into the bench seeking friction but not finding any relief.

The torture was increased ten fold when He began to speak to me. He said that I liked to be punished because I knew deep down that I was a filthy little slut who deserved it. I agreed with him completely. I did want it.

He used my own words from my essay against me repeating how wet it would make me to be exposed in front of an audience. I was both embarrassed and elated by it. By the time he'd finished the ten strokes, I was panting hard and writhing as much as my restraints would allow.

When he was finished, he returned his attention to Harry and Ginny. He gave her a few instructions but head was too fuzzy to absorb it all. I relaxed into the soft leather bench and watched as best I could from my awkward position.

Harry did well. He grunted occasionally, but his counting was pretty steady. Every time I heard the crack of the paddle on his skin, I felt the pain and pleasure all over again. I closed my eyes and relived each stroke. It passed by quickly, seeming to go much faster when it was not my own bottom that was taking the blows.

When she was done, Master gave Ginny a vial of oil to rub into Harry's skin. I desperately hoped that he would do the same for me. Ginny began the aftercare process, rubbing his shoulders and his ass with oil.

When he was sure that she was comfortable, Master returned to me. He removed my hands from the restraints, but used his body to keep me pressed over the bench. He rubbed me gently with the same oil that he had given Ginny. He whispered the most wonderful things to me as he worked, and I hummed in contentment.

His long fingers worked with expert skill. When he reached the tops of my thighs, he used both hands, spreading me wide and rubbing gentle circles on my clit as he pumped two fingers in and out of my dripping pussy.

"My little voyeur," he whispered. "Do you want to watch them?"

"Yes, please, Master."

He rotated the bench under me slightly, taking me with it and allowing me a better view. His fingers slowed, but did not cease their delicious torture.

Ginny was behind Harry, who was still restrained and bent over the bench. She was fisting his cock in one hand and tugging on his hair with the other. His eyes were closed, his neck and arms extended between the leather cuffs and her small fist. Her hand was slick with the oil that she had used and it glided up and down his shaft easily. He bucked against her hand and moaned.

Master pinched my clit hard, pulling my focus back to him. "Do you like watching them?" he growled in my ear. I nodded my affirmation. "He's close. Look at the strain on his face. He is fighting, but he will give in soon."

His breath was warm against my ear as he chuckled. I moaned my agreement.

"You have been a good girl. You may come when you are ready."

The problem was that I wasn't ready. This had been a short session compared to my normal. It was increased, of course, as a result of the company, but I wanted more. Much more. He'd gone too easy on me, and he was barely teasing me now. I would never get off like this.

"Please," I begged.

"What do you want, Hermione?"

What I wanted was his cock. I wanted him to fuck me, but I didn't think he would do it in front of Harry. I groaned in frustration instead, not knowing how to answer him.

"It's not enough for you is it?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry, Master," I panted. Fuck I was desperate. I needed something, anything to push me over the edge.

"Watch him," he commanded.

I looked up and watched as Harry came, his cock spraying a thick stream across the bench in front of him. Ginny stroked him a few more times as he groaned and tried to catch his breath.

"You will wait here," Severus said to me before standing and leaving me feeling empty and frustrated.

He waved his wand and the mess that Harry had made disappeared. Harry dressed quickly while Ginny and Severus spoke in hushed tones. I was rather confused as to whether we were fished or not. I closed my eyes and tried to hold still like a good girl. It was not my problem to deal with the logistical issues and I needed to get out of my head.

There was a shuffling of furniture and when I looked up Ginny and Harry were seated side-by-side in a couple of chairs positioned against the wall.

Master returned to me a few minutes later. "Stand."

I stood and wobbled a little on unsteady legs. I had been on my knees for quite a while and my legs were beginning to feel the strain. He worked efficiently binding my hands over my head with a coil of rope that hung from the ceiling. He lifted me until my feet were barely able to touch the ground.

"You want more don't you, Hermione?" I almost sighed in relief. There was the voice of my Master. He was going to give me a real session after all.

"Yes, please, Master."

"They develop a tolerance over time," he explained to Ginny. "Two months ago that would have been enough for her, but she has taken far harder sessions, and to really feel satisfied at this point she would either need more physical contact from me or a longer session. She probably could have taken thirty or more swats with a paddle like that before she reached any kind of completion. So to make it easier we add additional stimulation."

"Open," he commanded me. I opened my mouth and he slid a small ball gag between my teeth before fastening the straps around my head. I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing. I was thankful that with the gag I wouldn't have to count. I hated counting.

Because my eyes were closed, I was surprised when I felt the cool plastic of a vibrator between my legs. He pushed it all the way in before turning it on low. I hummed in pleasure as it came to life inside me. It was a soft stimulation, which I knew would feel wonderful against the harsh pain. He held it in place with thin leather straps that tied around my hipbones.

He used a soft flogger, hitting first my breasts until they were crisscrossed with red lines and my nipples were aching. I struggled to keep my feet in one place. I wanted desperately to rub my legs together, to find some kind of friction against the vibrator that hummed steadily inside me. He kissed my breasts, lapping gently at them with his tongue and then squeezing harshly with his hands. I tossed my head back and moaned from behind the gag.

"That's more like it," he growled at me.

He used the same flogger on my ass and thighs, flaring to life the soreness from the earlier paddling.

I lost my balance and moved my feet a few inches closer together. Leather restrains curled up from the floor at his command, circling my ankles and forcing my legs apart.

"You know better than to close your legs to me, slut."

"I'm sorry," I tried to apologize but the gag prevented it from being heard.

He gave me three very hard swats as an immediate punishment that brought tears to my eyes.

"I own you. You will behave for me." I nodded my head in agreement.

He struck me directly between my legs, the tails putting pressure on the vibrator that was still humming softly before connecting with my clit and making me feel as though I would jump out of my skin. It was like being whipped with a bolt of lightening.

_Oh God. More. So close. _

"Come for me, Hermione," he commanded.

He brought the flogger up though my legs three more times in rapid succession. I shrieked and bucked hard against my tethers as the orgasm overtook me. It was drawn out by the never-ending vibrations that suddenly felt like an over-abundance of stimulation. For a moment it was too much—painfully so—but then he had the vibrator unstraped and the vibrations ceased as he removed it.

I sagged uselessly against him, and he took me down. I curled my fists into the soft cotton of his shirt. The heat from his body was comforting in my vulnerable state as he carried me. He took a seat on one of the whipping benches, rubbing the ache from my joints as he cradled me in his lap. My bathrobe materialized around me, soft and warm. I rested my head on his shoulder and let him love me.

"Do you have questions?" he asked. I was confused at first, having completely forgotten that my friends were still present. Ginny answered, but I was too distracted to follow the conversation. I didn't want that right now. I just wanted to feel safe in his arms, basking in the warm afterglow.

I was conscious of their leaving sometime later, but none of that mattered as he carried me to his bed, promises of pleasure falling from his lips.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

**SPOV**

I made love to her over and over and over again that night. I'm not sure if it was the thought that someone else had seen her in that beautiful, vulnerable state that was making me want to reclaim her, or if I was simply trying to pour forty years of repressed emotions into her. Bringing other people into the playroom always changed the dynamic, but there was never any way to know exactly how it would change until you did it.

I had expected Hermione to be aroused by watching her friends together, but amazingly it didn't seem to be enough for her. I had known other submissives that were largely incapable of having an orgasm with, in front of, or at the command of anyone other than their regular Dominant, but it had never happened with me. There were many new things about a long-term relationship that I was now experiencing and in many ways I felt unprepared and overwhelmed. Knowing that she belonged to me and wanted only to be with me weighed heavily on my heart… and on my sex drive.

Miss Weasley had done well. All Dominants felt some level of apprehension the first time weather from fear of hurting a loved one in the pursuit of pleasure, or in determining that they weren't really as sadistic as they believed themselves to be. It was never the sadism that got me off, although I wouldn't deny a sadistic streak, and I didn't think that it would be for Miss Weasley either. It was about cultivating an atmosphere that made me feel powerful. Ginny had picked up on that, and I was quite sure she would be back with additional questions as she learned to experiment. It was a fun evening. I would not hesitate to have them here again, if it was Hermione's desire.

I shifted slightly so that I could see the outline of her face in the dark. Keeping her here, in my home, overnight was dangerous, and I knew that I shouldn't be doing it. Even having her in the lab would be hard to explain to any of my fellow Death Eaters. I should have sent her home with her friends, but I simply hadn't been able to. She was making me soft, and it was dangerous for as all.

"Go back to sleep," she murmured. Her eyes were still closed.

"You go back to sleep," I countered. I felt guilty. I hadn't meant to wake her. I pressed my lips to her temple and inhaled her scent. She put her arms around my neck and pulled me down to her. I rested my head on her soft chest and traced the curve of her hip with my fingers. God, I loved her.

The next day I sat down with Alastor, Remus, and Minerva. I wanted this to end sooner rather than later. I had reaffirmed the realization in the night that I would never really be able to be with my love until Tom Riddle was dead. I wanted her in my bed every night, and I did not want to fear for her safety when it happened. We reviewed plans for each of the remaining Horcruxes, and I insisted on the most accelerated time line.

Removing the Horcrux from the room of requirement was the easiest of the remaining artifacts and so we had plans to begin there. We were splitting up responsibilities, and I was not personally responsible for anything except the Dark Lord himself, and possibly the snake, depending on how that worked out in the end. I urged my comrades to hurry.

Life went back to its steady routine for the next few days. Hermione and I worked together daily and she remained safe, despite her connection to me, but the dread that filled my stomach every time I thought of losing her never quelled. We did have one close call when Wormtail showed up unexpectedly one morning. Hermione was able to make it out the floo and into the safe house before she was discovered, but the whole incident still haunted me.

Ginny had taken to joining us in the lab occasionally, and I would discuss various techniques with her and enjoy watching the blush spread across Hermione's face when she found our discussions particularly embarrassing or arousing.

The Order made two failed attempts at two different Horcruxes before managing to acquire the cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. Destroying it proved even more difficult than obtaining it. I was thankful that it wasn't my problem. I had enough to worry about.

The Order was also insisting that the students (I had a really hard time thinking of her that way) needed to be able to sit their final exams. So, in addition to helping in the lab, Hermione now needed time to study. Between that and trying to develop plans to bring down my deranged part-time boss, I wasn't getting much time to be alone with her, and even when I was, we weren't spending that time in the playroom. I could tell that it was wearing on her, but there was little I could do; I was pressed for time too.

"Name the three common uses for unicorn blood," I drilled between the stages of her potion. There was no reason why she couldn't study and work at the same time.

"Seriously?" she asked raising an eyebrow. "I knew that by first year."

"Are you refusing to answer me?" I threw back. She was right of course. It was a stupid question, but I was not really in a mood for this right now. She let out a heavy sigh, but still didn't answer me. "All right," I finally capitulated. "I get it. I'm bored as well. Let's see if we can't make this more interesting shall we?"

She didn't speak but her eyes lit up.

"Up on the table." She scrambled up on the empty work surface across from me. I would have a lovely view from here while I worked.

I quickly vanished her clothing and rearranged a few things until she was kneeling naked on a cushion on the table. I transfigured her shoes into stiletto heels and returned them to her feet. She wrapped her small hands around the heels at my bidding, which forced her hands behind her and straightened her posture. Absolutely fucking breathtaking. I cast a slow rotating charm on the table. I wanted to see her from every angle as I worked.

I returned to my potion. "Answer the question." I commanded.

She complied despite the fact that it was still a stupid question. Her answer was, of course, correct. "Good girl." I went to the chalkboard on the wall and made a square with two columns: correct and incorrect. I charmed the chalk to add a tally to either side as appropriate. So far she had one in the correct column.

"For every five correct answers I will grant you one orgasm. For every incorrect answer you will sustain fifteen minutes of my attentions without release. You will serve them back-to-back, so I would suggest that you don't make too many mistakes. Do you agree?"

"Yes, Master," came her obedient reply.

It was time for some harder questions. I smirked to myself. Poor girl had no idea what she was in for.

I drilled her mercilessly for the next forty-five minutes, only allowing her reprieve twice to stretch her legs. She had been developing a tolerance for kneeling, but I could see the strain it caused as she struggled to remain still.

Even with the added stress of nudity and fatigue, question-by-question she amazed me. I asked her things that she truly had no business knowing as a seventh year student, but she knew them anyway. I had always known of course that she was book smart, but I didn't realize until this very moment how much she knew. The woman could recite facts and figures like a Muggle computer. I tried not to let it show, but I was flabbergasted. I eventually resorted to pulling questions from my University texts when I couldn't think of anything challenging enough.

At eleven o'clock she had two incorrect answers and twenty-three correct ones.

"Stand up," I commanded. She did as I asked, wobbling slightly on the tall heels with her tired legs. I handed her wand to her. "Time for the practical portion of your exam."

"Yes, Sir," she said.

"Do you need a break to use the loo?"

"No, Sir."

"Are you hungry?"

"A little, Sir."

"We'll eat when we're finished with this. Agreed?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good. Perform for me a levitation charm."

I watched her from behind as she performed countless acts of magic perfectly. I tried to quell the raging erection that formed in my pants as I watched her ass sway with her want movements. There were moments when I was sure this was harder for me than it was for her. I exercised self-control and started another potion.

Her charms were quite good as a general rule, but we had one wash where she technically managed to transfigure a beetle into a bowling ball, but she accidentally killed the bug in the process. I counted it as incorrect, but she managed to convince me that she had correctly performed the task so we opted for leaving it off the board altogether.

She did have some difficultly with the harder defensive spells, which added two marks to the incorrect side of the board. It also worried me. Of all the areas for her to be weak, why did it have to be the spells that she would probably need the most? I made a mental note to train her harder in that area. She needed more practice with dueling.

After a half an hour of practical exams, the score was six incorrect to thirty-five correct. I owed her seven orgasms and an hour and a half of torture.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

**HPOV**

I was exhausted. I had never wanted to do so well on a test in my entire life. After the first few questions it was no longer a matter of studying, or of orgasms for that matter, this was a battle of wits between the great Severus Snape and myself. I would rise to his expectations if it killed me. He certainly didn't make it easy.

The questions weren't too bad despite the fact that it was hard to concentrate with my thighs burning and shoulders aching. I focused as hard as I could and gave the right answers to the best of my ability. When we got to the "practical" part of his exam, I wasn't surprised. The NEWTS were the same way, half on paper and half demonstration, and it only made sense that he would follow the same format. Unfortunately, I never did as well on this portion. I knew in my head what to do, but sometimes my body failed to comply with my brain.

When we'd gotten to the defensive spells, I could feel Severus tense behind me, and I knew that he was disappointed. His disappointment, of course, only made me perform more poorly, but he was right: this was my weakest area. I wondered what he planned to do about it as I could practically see a plan formulating in his mind.

All in all, I was pretty proud of my score in the end. I knew that most of what we'd gone over was harder than NEWT level, and it gave me an extra boost of confidence for when the true test would come.

We took a break for lunch, after that, and Severus left the house for a while, leaving me to finish up the potions and clean up. He said that he was trying to clear the rest of his day so that we could be together. I was very much hoping that he would be successful.

When he returned, he had a shopping bag in his hand that made me infinitely curious. He didn't share the contents however, simply dropping it inside the playroom door and then leading me by the hand to his room.

He didn't speak a word as he undressed me and pulled me into his shower. I followed his lead and remained silent as he washed my hair and soaped my body. He charmed the hair away from my body with his wand, making my legs and pubic area completely smooth and hair free. I didn't mind, but it was the first time that he had done such a thing, and I wondered if it was his preference that I always be bare.

I listened to the steady pattern of his breathing as his hands roamed by body. He brought my arousal to life so easily and by the time he declared us both to be clean, I was already aching with need.

He dried me with a fluffy towel and spelled my hair into a surprisingly elegant knot where it would be out of his way. As he dried me, he pinched my nipples and rolled them roughly between his fingers. The attention lasted only a moment, but I still felt the sting as he led me to the playroom. I knelt at the door as he made his preparations.

"Come to me," he called. I crawled across the hardwood floor as I was bid. "Up on the table."

He had prepared a message table, and as I climbed onto the comfortable surface, I realized that he had warmed the sheets. It felt fantastic against my still slightly damp skin. Neither of us had dressed, and I caught brief glimpses of his lanky form as he positioned me on my stomach with my body stretched out over the length of the table.

I rested my head on my folded arms and looked around. Beside us there was a small stack of cotton squares, like you might find in a Muggle first aid kit. Next to them was a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a clear juice glass. I knew better than to ask what was about to happen, but I was incredibly curious.

My Master joined me on the table a moment later, his legs straddling my hips. I sighed in contentment. It felt like forever since I had been under him in this way.

"Are you comfortable, Hermione?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good girl. I want you to relax."

I began a nice, slow, deep breathing exercise as he gently massaged my shoulders and upper back. I was curious as to why he hadn't used an oil or lotion as he had in the past, but I was too much enjoying the feel of his hands on me to really care. In no time, I felt like a boneless mass. His long fingers knew their craft well, and I was like putty in the hands of an expert potter. For the most part, he kept his body carefully away from me, but the occasional brush of his erection against my hip or lower back was enough to keep my body on a natural high alert.

I watched silently as he ceased his ministrations and reached for the materials on the table.

"Do you trust me, Hermione?" he asked.

"You know that I do, Sir," I answered. Why would he ask such a thing?

"Then remain still and quiet."

I tried to do as he asked, but it was nerve wracking to not understand. I trusted, but I still wanted to know.

He soaked one of the thin cotton bandage squares in the rubbing alcohol and the scent of it filled my nose. He set it lightly on the flat of my back, and I was incredibly aware of its feather-light weight on my skin. He took the small drinking glass in one hand, and his wand in the other. Why?

I tried to slow my heart rate. He would never do anything to harm me. I knew that, but that didn't necessarily make me fearless.

He spoke the incantation softly, and my breath caught in my throat. "Inflamare."

I squeezed the sheets in my fists as my muscles tensed involuntarily. The small square of cotton burst into a small but bright flame on my back. I could just barely see it from my position, but I felt its warmth for a moment before my Master had covered it with the glass suffocating and extinguishing it.

"Relax, sweetheart." His voice was soothing and it calmed me immediately. I slowly let out the breath I had been holding.

"Tell me what I've just accomplished."

I tried to think. I had been so caught up in a fear of being burned that I hadn't yet determined why he had done it. I took another deep breath and formed an answer.

"The fire is used to remove the oxygen from the glass, Master."

"Correct." He gently began to move the glass over the surface of my skin, and I fully understood. Without air, the lip of the glass formed a gentle suction, drawing my skin upward into the glass. As he moved it, the skin was pulled. The sensation was unique but not painful.

The glass lost its seal over time and so he repeated the process of setting a fire to remove the air and then continued on a lower part of my back. As I relaxed and let him do as he pleased, it began to feel wonderful.

I nearly groaned in protest when he commanded me to roll over. I had nearly fallen asleep under his soft hands.

As he rolled me over he pushed my legs apart so that I was now straddling his hips, my ass elevated slightly on his bent legs, my shoulders pressed into the table. Unseen restraints circled my wrists, pulling my hands into a comfortable position above my head. He ghosted his fingertips over the skin at my hip and across my stomach before once again reaching for his materials.

I watched his face as he prepared, strong, angular, filled with self-confidence. I let my eyes flow along the planes of his chest, down his stomach, to the thin happy train of hair that lead to his long cock which was pressed against my thigh. I yearned to lift my hips and press myself against him.

He laid the cotton square just below my collar bone on the left side, above my breast. I reminded myself to breathe. The flame was a bright blue momentarily, but then it was gone, and I felt only a soft tugging pressure. He moved the glass gently over my skin, keeping the suction. It lifted the top of my breast and I fought the urge to arch up into the sensation. My nipples pebbled in anticipation.

The glass lost suction quickly on the uneven surface. He soaked another square, and placed it directly over my nipple. He looked me in the eye, silently asking for confirmation that I was okay. I gave it to him in the form a small smile. The cotton burned brightly, and I felt its heat against my sensitive skin. I let out a soft hiss at the sensation and closed my eyes. The heat was replaced with pressure. I did arch up this time. I couldn't help it. He soothed me with his other hand. His voice was soft and encouraging.

He repeated the process on the other side, and I fought the urge to squeeze my legs together. I was more aware with every one of his actions that his lean body was still positioned between my thighs. He rocked against me casually, but I wanted it to be so much more than casual. If he would just shift forward a little!

When he was done with the glass on my breasts he leaned forward and took one into his mouth. I cried out as he closed his teeth around my nipple. His cock brushed right against my clit, and I almost had an orgasm right there on the table. But then he moved away, and I was left panting.

"Please, Sir," I whispered softly. I couldn't help it. I needed him.

"Shhh," he soothed. "We are far from finished."

**SPOV**

She was so beautiful, so responsive. It took all of my self-control not to just bury myself in her.

I had been watching the time since I first took her to shower with me. I had wanted an activity that would warm her slowly. Ninety minutes was a surprisingly long time to endure intense sensation, and Hermione was not accustomed to long sessions of foreplay. Our times together were far too frequently rushed. It had been almost an hour this far.

"You have endured fifty-eight minutes. You've done well so far. Are you able to continue?"

"Oh yes, please, Master!"

I chuckled. Always so willing. "You are not permitted to come without my permission. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

I tilted her hips up gently, gaining better access to her sweet pussy. "Feet flat on the table," I commanded. She complied.

I started the cupping process again, this time on her lower stomach. She had the feel and idea of it by now, but flame and suction could be intimidating, especially around the sensitive areas. I fingered her slowly with one hand, parting her lips and sinking two fingers into her wet heat. She writhed under me, and I pulled away.

Her freshly shaved skin was so soft and smooth in my hands. I touched her gently until I was sure that her arousal would outweigh any lingering fear. I set fire to the area just above her pelvis and then pulled the glass down slowly over her hairless skin. I stopped just above her clit and tilted the glass to release the suction. She let out a cry of frustration. I wasn't sure that she would be able to endure this treatment applied directly to her clitoris without having an orgasm, but there was only one way to find out.

"Remember, little one, that you are not to come without permission. You wouldn't want to disappoint me would you?"

"No, Master," she panted. Her voice was heavy with arousal.

"Think of something else, Hermione. List the ingredients used in Polyjuice Potion."

She slowly listed ingredients as I laid a square of cotton on top of her clit. I worked slowly, building as much anticipation as I could. Her legs trembled slightly around my hips. She stopped reciting as I spoke the fire spell, but resumed again, in a desperate voice as I covered her most sensitive area with the glass. I didn't move it, but held steady, letting her feel the pressure for a few long moments as she finished the list of ingredients.

I broke the seal with the tip of my finger and released her. "Good girl," I praised. "I wasn't sure that you would be able to endure that. You did well."

"Thank you, Master."

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Relaxed and aroused, Master." Perfect. That was exactly what I had hoped for.

"You're almost done, pet. I want you to do one more thing for me and then I shall give you my cock and let you come."

I removed myself from the table, leaving her there with her legs spread wide and her arms bound above her head. I would never tire of seeing her that way. Her pussy was wet with arousal, and her breast rose and fell gently as she breathed. I crossed the room, never taking my eyes from her, and pulled a thin vibrator from the drawer.

I returned to the table and showed it to her. Her heart rate quickened slightly, and I knew that she understood. She had always been amazingly perceptive.

"You want…?" She swallowed hard and trialed off.

I cut her some slack and said it for her. "I want to fill your ass with this vibrator and then fuck you while we both feel it vibrating in your tight passage."

She bit her lip and flushed slightly. She was unsure, but I had no doubt that she would let me do it.

"You will tell me if it becomes too much for you. What are your safe words?"

"Yellow and red, Sir."

"Good girl. I will not hurt you. You need to relax."

She nodded her agreement and visibly slowed her breathing. I moved back onto the table between her legs.

I fingered her pussy for a while longer, coating my fingers with her natural lubrication. She lifted her hips and fucked my fingers slowly. I pushed her legs further apart and gently massaged her rear entrance with the tip of my finger. She squirmed beneath me, but did not cry out.

I prepared her very slowly, using my finger to barely enter her. The tension slowly slid from her body as her arousal overwhelmed her. She rocked her hips up and down as I pushed the vibrator in and out of her pussy, wetting it. She tensed slightly when she felt it at the entrance to her tight ass, but the gentle pressure of my thumb against her clit was enough to calm her.

She took it one slow inch at a time. I told her over and over what a good girl she was, how hard she made me, how sexy she looked taking that toy in her tight ass. She moaned and lifted her hips to take it in. I fucked her with it gently, helping her seat it the right way.

"How does it feel?" I asked, when she had taken it in and was holding it tight.

"Full," she answered.

"No pain?"

"No, Sir."

"Good." I smiled at her and took my cock in my hand. "You may begin on your hard earned orgasms whenever you are ready."


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

**HPOV**

Oh God. It was too much. Much too much.

I had ridden out two orgasms around his cock with the vibrator quietly buzzing inside of me, and then another one under his skilled tongue and fingers, but now he had me pinned beneath him while he pressed a second vibrator to my already over-sensitive clit. The fourth orgasm as it ripped through my body could not be described as pleasurable any longer.

I screamed until the tremors passed, but when he made no move to remove either vibrator, I knew that I had reached my limit. "Yellow," I whispered softly. "I can't take it. Too much."

He switched the vibrator off immediately and set it aside. I collapsed against his chest and he held me tight.

"Easy, sweetheart. Relax while I take the other one out. We'll take a break."

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My whole body ached with a mix of overwhelming pleasure and exhausting pain.

I was relieved when the toy in my ass stopped buzzing, but it was not at all pleasant as he made to remove it. It had been slick and well lubed when he'd put it in, but now that we had moved around and played for an extended time, it had shifted and felt dry and uncomfortable. My body's natural reaction was to clamp down on it.

"Wait," I protested. I wasn't ready. I trusted him to know what he was doing, but this did not feel right. He cast a lubrication charm to help ease the toy out, but I was both tense and fearful of having it touched.

"You need to relax, baby. It will be over in just a second. Close your eyes."

He moved me so that my front was pressed fully into his chest, my head on his shoulder and he was fully supporting my weight. I held him tightly and sobbed into his shoulder.

He spread my cheeks gently and I tried to relax, but I didn't really succeed. He had the vibrator out in a matter of seconds but those were very uncomfortable seconds. I had no desire to try that again any time soon.

When it was over he simply held me for a while and comforted me while I cried. I fell asleep a while later, but woke again when he left the bed. I reached for him instinctively but he encouraged me to go back to sleep. When he returned, he had two potions with him. I drank the first one, a general pain reliever, and he slowly massaged all of my sensitive areas with the other.

"I believe, Hermione, that we finally found your threshold."

I laughed lightly. "I think so too."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push so hard. I should have realized that it might be too much. You did the right thing by alerting me with a safe word."

"It was okay up until that last bit. I've just never had an orgasm quite so painful."

"Mmmm. Forced or sustained orgasms can be painful or overwhelming on their own, but then to have added the additional level of anal stimulation, that you aren't accustomed to, is I think where we really went wrong. I should have removed it, probably, after your second orgasm. Would you agree?"

I nodded. How very like him to approach it this way. It was almost like we were discussing a potions experiment gone wrong.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. I think it's clear that we both need a bit of a break. Would you feel up to a date?"

"A date?"

"Yes, Hermione. I want to take you to dinner. Will you give me the pleasure of your company?"

"Of course, but where will we go?"

"Let me make the arrangements. Why don't you go home to shower and change? I would like for you to wear a dress with a hem that falls above the knee. Do you have something that would suit?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good, I shall retrieve you in an hour and a half."

I went back to the house with the others and prepared for my date. Having a Domme in the house was surprisingly useful. After I showered, Ginny laced me into a corset, which was hers, the first I had ever worn. There were garter straps to which we hooked my stockings. As per my Master's instructions I left off the panties, which normally was not a big deal with the full-length robes that I wore, but tonight it left me feeling exposed. I pulled a soft black dress over the whole set of undergarments and looked in the mirror. The dress was strapless, and Ginny had forced my hair into soft curls, which hung down around my shoulders. The hemline fell mid-thigh, as requested, but I would have to be careful not to show my stockings as I sat. She then forced me into a pair of four inch heels that I was sure would kill me before the night had ended.

Severus was waiting for me in the library when I came down to greet him. Ginny had accompanied me, wanting to see his reaction and he did not disappoint her.

"Thank you, Miss Weasley. She looks fantastic." I blushed and allowed him to lead me from the house. He pulled me into his arms on the front walk, and we Apparated away.

**SPOV**

Good Merlin she was beautiful. I nearly scrapped my plans and took her right there on the couch, but I had promised her a date, our first date really, and I was going to make good on my promise. I couldn't take her anywhere in the wizarding world as we were both too easily recognized, so I opted for taking her to Muggle France.

We Apparated to a small park that I knew well as a result of my relationship with Lucius. It was sheltered by buildings on two sides and large shrubs on a third. It was unlikely to have any witnesses. I kept my wand at the ready just in case a memory modification was required. It wasn't.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"There is a restaurant a few blocks from here that I enjoyed as a younger man. The food is quite good."

She didn't ask anything further, but slipped her hand into the crook of my arm as I lead her up the alley to the street.

We were seated, as I had requested, at a fairly secluded table near the back of the restaurant. One perk of being a Death Eater was that the Dark Lord frequently saw fit to pass on the fortunes of the Muggles whom he captured and killed to us. As a result I had acquired rather substantial accounts in both wizarding and Muggle banks. Having grown up poor, it had been one of the most appealing things to me about the life. Lucius always had the finest of things, knew of the best restaurants, and had the most influence. I found that kind of power appealing, and it did come in handy when you wanted a last minute reservation for a specific table.

I didn't fear Lucius' presence here because he'd had a falling out with the restaurant owner a few years back and now refused to set foot in the place. I was still quite fond of it—even more so now that his company was not required.

The table was circular, and the booth formed a semi-circle around it, allowing me to sit next to Hermione rather than across from her without attracting too much attention. I could care less what people thought, but I did have to admit that most people would find us an odd couple, and I did not want her to suffer unnecessary embarrassment.

I ordered a bottle of red wine and made the assumption that she would join me in drinking it. I had every intention of allowing her to choose her own meal, but she made no move to open her menu.

"You may have whatever you would like. Did you want me to order for you?"

"Yes, please."

I studied her for a moment and wondered why. She was submissive, yes, but she was also capable of making a decision about what to eat. "I would be happy to, but is there a reason why?"

"I can't read nor speak French," she answered.

Oh, of course. I smiled. "Neither can I," I confessed. "It's a charm, a rather complex one, for both to translate the menu and my spoken words."

"Would you teach it to me?" She was ever the one to thirst after knowledge.

"Of course, but not right now." The waiter brought the wine and after I had declared it acceptable, he poured us each a glass and took our orders.

When the waiter had left us, I laid my napkin in my lap and then moved my hand to the bare skin of Hermione's leg. She jumped a little at first at my unexpected touch but immediately settled. She took a sip of her wine.

I leaned forward and whispered so that only she could hear me. "I promised you seven, Hermione, and have only delivered four." I pushed the hem of her dress a little further up her leg until my hand came to rest on the lace at the top of her stocking.

I studied her face carefully to judge her reaction. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't panic. "Now?" she whispered, a tone of disbelief in her voice.

"In time," I answered. I made no move to push her further at this time, instead opting to change the subject.

It was easily the most enjoyable dinner date that I'd ever experienced. It was heaven to have her all to myself without fear of interruption from her friends or my colleagues. The food was wonderful, every course, and we fed each other as frequently as we fed ourselves.

I teased her gently between courses, brushing the back of my hand against her soft thighs or tracing her pussy lips with the tip of my finger. She took to it quite well, never making a spectacle of herself, but welcoming my advances all the same. I kissed a bit of chocolate away from the corner of her mouth as we finished our dessert, and then reluctantly asked for the check.

Selfishly, I considered renting a Muggle hotel room for the night simply so that I would not have to return her to the safehouse. I knew that I couldn't, as it would be irresponsible of me to worry the other members of the Order, but I wanted her to the point where it was painful.

"Take a walk with me before I must return you home?"

"Home?" she asked as we stepped out into the night. "I had hoped that you might keep me for the night."

I sighed and took her hand in mine. "I would very much like to Hermione, but I fear that it isn't safe. I know that we've had precious little alone time lately, but until this war is truly over, it needs to be my first concern. I can not risk your safety, not matter how much I may want you." She was clearly not happy with my decision, but she didn't protest further.

We walked the quiet streets together, hand in hand, taking the long way back to the tiny park. We could have been a couple of regular people without war or magic. "Did you ever consider going back to your parents? Giving up magic altogether for the safety of the Muggle world?"

"No, not really. I'm a witch, and I would be hugely unhappy as anything else. I do fear for my parent's safety sometimes though. What chance would they have against the likes of Death Eaters?"

"I would like to meet them someday—your parents, I mean."

She nodded. "I'd like that too. What about your parents?"

"I don't wish to ruin an enjoyable evening speaking about them. Let's just say that I don't see them anymore."

Amazingly she let it go, but squeezed my hand in a reassuring gesture. We came around the corner and walked into the grassy area where we had first Apparated. There was a park bench seated near the small creek. I sat down on it and pulled her down into my lap.

I turned her so that she was half facing me, and I kissed her. I had always made a better Dom than a lover. My strength was in my confidence and presence; I wasn't much of a romancer. But all the same, this felt like a pretty good romance. It had grown dark and the moon was visible through the breaks in the trees.

I gently pushed her legs apart and ran my hand up the length of her thigh appreciating the feel of her silky stockings and soft skin. She moaned softly into my mouth as I used my fingers to bring her to orgasm.

When she was finished she laid her head against my shoulder, her breathing still labored. "Master?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I believe you owe me two more."

I laughed the first real deep laugh that I could remember in a while. "That is so, pet. Would you like to claim them now?"

"Yes, please."

I pulled my wand from my jacket pocket and cast a little extra privacy protection even though there was no one around. I unbuttoned my pants and turned her in my lap so that she was straddling me, facing me.

"Take what it is that you want, love."

She sunk down on my cock, her dress riding up around her hips giving me a perfect view of her undeniably hot undergarments and the creamy skin of her ass. She had her wand in a holster at her thigh, and it gave her a dangerous appeal that I found incredibly sexy. The corset that she wore accented her curves perfectly and I lowered my face to her uplifted breasts as she rode me.

This was perfection.

She took what she wanted from me, and I gave it willingly, finding my own satisfaction in her pleasure.

"I love you so much," I whispered as she sat curled in my lap sometime later.

"I love you too, Severus."

She shivered, as the night had grown cold around us while we'd made love. I removed my jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

"I should take you home."

She nodded reluctantly, and I stood with her. I brought her into my embrace, kissed her forehead, and then Apparated us both to the front walk of the safehouse.

My first thought upon arriving was that I had Apparated to the wrong location. The once familiar safehouse was an unrecognizable mass of flames and billowing smoke. I shielded Hermione with my body and took aim at the group of Death Eaters who were poised with killing curses on their lips.


	40. Chapter 40

_Author's Note: I know. I know. That's just mean, so I won't keep you waiting._

**Chapter 40**

**SPOV**

This was it. The stuff of my worst nightmares and greatest hopes all rolled into one.

I fired a stunner at the three Death Eaters before me, friends turned enemies, so twisted in connections with good and evil that even _I_ wasn't sure where my true loyalties lay. Save for one: the trembling girl at my side—the only thing that mattered now. When push came to shove, I was willing to die for her and probably would, tonight.

Hermione reacted a moment after I did, pulling her wand from the holster at her thigh. I thought back on how not fifteen minutes ago I had appreciated the sex appeal it fostered. Now I was simply glad that she had her wand in her hand. There was wand fire and real, hot fire everywhere. I couldn't protect us both out in the open like this.

She threw up defensive spells while I went on the offense. The momentary confusion at our arrival bought us enough time that I was able to dive behind a burning wall that was once a tool shed pulling her with me. I was sure that we had been seen, but in the dark with all the confusion, I wasn't sure if my identity had been revealed. I cloaked us both immediately with concealment charms.

"Listen to me, love. If you want to survive this, you need to obey me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir," she panted. I hadn't really expected her to argue. We both knew that I was the stronger fighter, and now was not the time for debate.

"I'll cover you. I need for you to look. Tell me who is here. Tell me if you see the Dark Lord. On three…" I looked at her, and she nodded. The terror was evident on her soot-smudged face. "One. Two. Three."

She darted out from the side of the shed, and I protected her as she looked. She darted back into the shelter a second later. I listened to her report even as I cast hard stunners at the enemies that I could see.

"I don't see him. Just lots of Death Eaters in masks and the snake. It's hard to know though, it's too dark to see except for the light from the fire."

My stomach turned to ice. The snake. If Nagini was still alive then at least one of the Horcruxes still existed. I wasn't sure how far we'd come in destroying the others. We were careful in The Order to not share too much information, but that information would be critical now."

"Listen to me. We have to kill that snake."

**HPOV**

I was terrified.

When Harry, Ron, and I had been ambushed all those months ago, it had happened so quickly that I really hadn't had time to feel fear, but I was feeling it now. I knew that my Master would do everything in his power to protect me, and that worried me above all else. Historically, men who fought beside their loved ones in battle did not have good odds for survival.

I vowed to do exactly as he commanded. I would not risk his life by putting myself in danger.

I tried to focus. He was explaining about the Horcruxes and it took a moment for me to understand. He wanted it to end tonight. He was telling me to remove all of the Horcruxes because he wanted the Dark Lord to die tonight and that couldn't happen while his soul was still fragmented.

"Accio Horcrux kit," he said, very clearly and deliberately.

A moment later a wooden box, ensconced in flames flew from the burning house to him. He quickly put out the fire and opened it. He pulled a long knife and a bottled potion from the contents. He poured the potion over the blade and put it in my hand.

"You know that I love you. I would never endanger you if I thought that there was a safer way, but if you don't kill that snake, we all die here tonight."

I nodded. I was scared, but I would do what he told me to do. If anyone would get me out of this alive it was this man.

"Stab it as many times as you can, preferably as close to the head as you can get without being bitten."

"Yes, Master. I love you."

"Go," he commanded.

I went before my nerves had time to debilitate me. I was running away from the area where most of the fighting was taking place, and I wasn't seen immediately. I didn't dare look around. I focused on my orders running straight for the huge snake. I stayed as much to the shadows as I could as I ran across the yard.

I felt dizzy. I was really regretting that earlier glass of wine. I was far from drunk, but with the added fear, I was having trouble controlling my body.

I couldn't see him, but I could feel Severus with me. Occasionally a shield would come up to block stray fire or a stunner would fly from an unseen and unheard location.

When we finally reached the snake I told myself not to hesitate, but I had never stabbed anything in my life. "Think of it as a potions ingredient," I told myself. I stuck the knife as far into the scaly flesh as I could. A thick black blood squired out and covered my hands. I forced back to urge to scream. I stabbed it again.

Sensing the danger, Nagini fought back. I had only a second to ponder how fast she could move, before I was being crushed in her looping body. Coil after coil wound around me and the coils tightened at a merciless rate.

Think. Think. Think. Oh, God. I can't breathe.

I tried a knot loosening charm from first-year. The coils relaxed enough so that I could grab a breath, but tightened immediately again. I cast it twice in a row and then took another stab at the snake, this time higher on its belly.

I used every freezing, slowing, and stunning spell I knew, holding my wand in my left hand and the dagger in my right, trying to buy time so that I could let the poison do its job. I no longer felt Severus at my back, and I tried to ignore the fear that gripped my heart as a result.

**SPOV **

She had it under control. Walking away from her while she was still in mortal danger was the hardest thing that I had ever done. I reminded myself that keeping her out of danger was impossible at this point, and trying to would most likely be lethal. The very best thing that I could do for her was to keep thinking logically.

Continuing to fire spells from her location would only call attention to her. It was dark, and she was nearly invisible. I put the best protection around her that I could, and went to find Alastor. I needed to know how many were left.

I found him fighting three Death Eaters at once. I came up from behind and took out two before they spotted me in my invisible state. I was lucky that Alastor recognized me as friend and not foe. He killed the third, and we began our hurried conversation.

"How many remain?" I asked.

"Just the snake. We destroyed the diadem this morning. If there is a seventh, we don't know what it is."

"The snake is dying. Hermione is killing it. Is the Dark Lord here?"

A stunner hit the ground right in front of my feet, and I was thrown backwards. I regained my feet as quickly as I could. Alastor was engaged in battle once again. I made my way back cross the yard to where I'd left Hermione. I had the information that I needed.

The Order was not fairing well. We were severely outnumbered, and I'd passed several who were bleeding or suffering serious effects of curses. I did what I could to help without speaking or revealing myself. The only thing that had saved me thus far, was our late arrival. If the Death Eaters knew that I'd turned traitor, I was quite sure that I'd not still be alive.

My return to Hermione was interrupted by_ his_ entrance. The Dark Lord, never one for subtlety, flew to the battle on a giant wind of foul smelling smoke. I wondered how long he'd been waiting silently, watching his own men die, just so that he could make his grand entrance. His vanity would be his demise. I tried to formulate a plan.

I scanned the yard in the firelight. Nagini lay unmoving in a heap. Hermione wasn't visible to me. I caught sight of Ginny's red hair in the light of a passing spell. I headed in that direction. They were all together, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. They were badly outnumbered, but fighting back to back they were holding their own. I helped to even the odds.

I had made it most of the way to them, when I was physically attacked. Lucius came at me from behind, preferring to use his fists instead of his wand.

"Traitor," he growled at me.

"You simply chose the wrong side," I answered. "Sectumsempra." I waved my wand and sliced my oldest friend open from shoulder to hip.

He knew the healing charm though, as I'd taught it to him myself, and he stitched up rather quickly as the blood poured from his mouth. I couldn't allow him the time to recover. I thought of Hermione, my perfect submissive, my love. I owed him retribution for what he'd done to her.

"You will never touch her again," I vowed. I pictured the blood on her back before blasting him hard. The force of the spell tossed him more than four feet. I smirked in satisfaction.

**HPOV**

We were all going to die.

There were so many of them, and they were all fully trained witches and wizards. I'd been hit by at least two stunners and felt the effects of the torture curse for longer than I could count. They were playing with us. They knew that we couldn't win. They weren't fighting to kill. They were fighting to prolong the agony. It was almost like they were waiting for something.

When Voldemort arrived, I finally put it all together. The Death Eaters had been waiting for the guest of honor before killing us.

I was knocked to the ground and rendered unable to move. I watched in horror as the shell that was once Tom Riddle called his troops to attention. The battleground became eerily still.

I nearly cried with relief when I felt Severus' strong arms come around me. He undid the curse that froze me in place, and I buried my face in his chest. At least we would die together.

"Don't you dare give up," he growled at me. "This isn't over yet."

All around us hurt Order members were being held captive by Death Eaters. We were forced to our feet and separated. We were stretched out in a circle with wands drawn at our backs. Severus was to my right with Harry and Ginny beside him.

An unknown person had my hair wrapped around one fist and their wand square on my back. I was turned with the others to face the Dark Lord. It would be a mass execution, then, or mass torturing. It was hopeless. Severus might still believe, but I was nearly out of faith.

I closed my eyes and replayed the previous weeks in my mind. If I were to die, I wanted my head to be full of love, generosity, compassion, obedience—all the traits our relationship exemplified. At least I'd gotten to experience submission. I would not die without knowing where I belonged.

Severus said something to Harry but I couldn't hear it. I wished that he'd speak to me instead, but the only voice, droning on and on was Voldemort's. It seemed he was to lecture us before we would die. It was almost humorous at this point; he loved to hear himself talk.

"Tonight," he bellowed, "The wizarding world will become once again pure."

No one moved.

"Now, Potter," I heard Severus hiss, but Harry didn't move. He seemed to be frozen with fear. _Oh Harry, obey him,_ I thought.

I looked at my friends, and felt the sharp pain from the wand at my back. I bit down on my tongue and tasted the rust of blood in my mouth.

"Command him, Ginny," Severus growled. Would Harry respond to her the way that I would forever respond to Severus? Even if he did, what did Severus expect of him? Oh how I longed for more information.

Ginny's eyes grew wide. She understood. She looked at Severus briefly, and he nodded. I realized then how many secrets Severus held, even from me. When had he grown so close to them?

"Harry," she said. Even I heard it. It was the same voice that she had used in the playroom. The one that every submissive obeyed without question. He looked at her. I hoped that it would be enough. "Kill him."

It happened so fast. Severus turned and silently cast the killing curse at the Death Eater behind Harry. Harry cast the killing curse silently at Voldemort. A blast of white light flew from Harry's wand and struck the Dark Lord square in the chest. The whole place lit up for one bright moment, and then it was still.

It was over, just like that. The Dark Lord collapsed in a heap at the center of the circle.

My only thought was "When did Harry learn nonverbal spells?"

**SPOV**

Most of the Death Eaters fled immediately, Apparating away. They always were a bunch of sadistic cowards.

Those that stayed didn't put up much fight. I think they were all in shock. No one had expected the most feared evil wizard of all time to simply die. He hadn't even cast a counter spell.

I had been right. It was his vanity that killed him. He simply didn't believe that anyone would try to attack him in the middle of his greatest hour. Like most dictators, who rule by fear alone, he thought that his control was infallible. He thought that his Horcruxes and minions would protect him. He was wrong. In the end, he died before he even knew that he was mortal.

I should have killed him myself, but I didn't think we'd get a second chance. If I happened to be wrong, and Potter was really the Chosen One, I wanted to get it right the first time. Chosen One or not, he'd gotten the job done, thanks to Miss Weasley. When in doubt, trust a Domme to handle her own submissive. And I did have to give the-boy-who-maybe-wasn't-quite-so-terrible-after-all credit for learning the nonverbal spells I'd assigned him. I didn't want to think what might have happened if Voldemort had heard the curse coming.

Hermione launched herself into my arms, and I held her tight. She was sobbing. I held her close, as much for my own comfort as hers.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

"Nothing that won't heal. Are you?"

"The same. We should help the others."

She tilted her head and pressed her lips to mine. For the first time in years, I believed that I might actually live to see a happy ending.

Just to be safe, though, I was going to kill the bastard again. I wanted to make sure he was as dead as he could be.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

**HPOV**

The days and weeks that followed "The Battle," as most people were calling it, were busier than I would have expected. The Order was practically at war with the Ministry of Magic, trying to restore some sense of structure. Many people were still in the hospital or recovering at varying locations.

Ron had taken a pretty bad cut to the leg. He spent a couple of days in the medical ward at Hogwarts and then went through an awkward period trying to determine what to do when he was released.

Harry and Ginny had temporarily moved into Severus' house, as had I, only I did not expect my stay to be temporary. After the insanity of the last year, most of us had developed a "fuck you all" sort of attitude when it came to those who tried to separate us from our lovers. I had no intention of ever being apart from Severus again, and I knew that Harry felt the same way about Ginny. Without a very good cause, we would never be put apart again, and anyone who had anything to say about it could answer at the end of my wand.

Ron had always been a part of our group, but there was no way that he could live in Severus' home. Even temporarily, it didn't seem like a good idea, so he wound up staying with Remus and Tonks for a few days before leaving for an extended stay with his brother in Romania. If the rumors were true, Luna Lovegood was going with him. She made a general announcement, in typical Luna fashion, that there were a lot of fascinating non-existent creatures there. No one argued with her, and I actually thought that might turn into a perfect ending of its own.

The remaining Death Eaters proved to be a larger problem than we anticipated. The head of the organization had been cut off which left angry individuals with nothing to lose. There had been a handful of attacks on remaining members of the Order, Ministry officials, and three so far on Severus himself. We were working around the clock to round them all up, but The Dark Lord's legacy was far reaching. No one knew exactly how many surviving Death Eaters there were.

As a result, Severus had been nearly unbearable. He drilled me day and night on defensive spells. There was not as much of a need for the potions now, so our lab time had been replaced with dueling. He drilled Harry and Ginny as well, but not half as hard as he worked me. He was completely convinced that a renegade Death Eater would at some point try to kill me as revenge for his betrayal of the Dark Lord. I wasn't sure how that could be possible, as he never let me out of his sight.

I needed to find a way to distract him. I wanted to get his mind off of the Death Eaters, at least for a little while, and back onto our relationship. When the battle was over I had expected to have more alone time with Severus, but the truth was, he hadn't even had sex with me since the time in the park right before the battle. He had me in his bed every night, and he was definitely determined to keep me under his wing, but I wanted more than that. I didn't care if there were Death Eaters on the loose. I wanted to go back to the playroom.

"Ginny?" I questioned. We were alone in the house. Harry had gone to Hogwarts for the evening with Severus and Remus. They were meeting with some Ministry hotshots to put together a plan for imprisoning the remaining "bad guys." Part of me knew that it was important work, but I couldn't help feeling a little irritated. It was over. Life was supposed to go on from here. Why must we still be stuck in this mess?

"What's up?" Ginny said.

"I uh, was hoping that maybe you could help me think up a way to get Severus' attention."

"What do you mean? He almost never lets you out of his sight. How much more attention could he pay you?"

"That's not what I mean. It's just that he spends ten hours a day making sure that I can defend myself, and pass my NEWTS, but we haven't had a whole lot of relationship time, if you know what I mean."

"Well you share a bed every night. Isn't he…?"

I shook my head no.

"Huh, that surprises me. I've been all over Harry. I think it's a relief thing. You know? I really didn't expect to come out of this alive and now that I have, I don't want to waste one minute of the time that we're together."

"I don't think that Severus has accepted that it's over. He's still fighting."

Ginny thought about that for a moment before speaking again. "Want me to ask for a double session?"

"Would you? I don't want to force you and Harry into anything but…"

"Oh please. Severus is a great mentor and Harry definitely gets off on seeing you with him, although he'd be reluctant to admit it. Another night with the two of you is not a chore. I'm only worried about Severus' reaction."

"You think he won't want to do it?" I asked.

"You know him better than I do, but I think he'll do it. I just think that he might be upset if he knows that we discussed it. Me asking him for a session is one thing. Me asking for a session on your behalf is another. Do you want to talk to him first?"

"No. I can't ask him directly like that. It isn't my place…"

"If he isn't meeting your needs…"

"Would you please just ask?"

"Of course."

True to her word, Ginny did go to visit Severus that night, but neither of them informed me of a session. I thought at first that he'd said "no" but if that were the case, wouldn't Ginny tell me? In fact, I didn't see Ginny at all for the next day or two. We'd pass in the house, but it was almost like she was avoiding me. Frustrated, I went to Harry.

"So she didn't say anything to you?" I asked. "Maybe about the four of us?"

"Not a peep," Harry assured me.

I sighed. I was not pleased. _Why didn't he want me?_

**SPOV**

In the days following the fallout I was more concerned than ever. A mass of dangerous people under the leadership of single entity was a problem but a focused problem. Without leadership, they were they were far less predictable and as a result much more threatening. It was like cutting off the head of Hydra, you always got three new heads.

We were picking them off one small group at a time. Many of them were arrested and sent to Azkaban, but I never felt too badly when taking them alive was not an option. I had suffered at the hands of these men for nearly two decades. I felt little pity for them.

"Severus? May I speak with you for a moment?" Ginny Weasley pulled me suddenly from my thoughts. It was uncommon for her to seek a private audience with me. She was brave enough to ask her questions or state her thoughts in front of Harry or Hermione. What did she want?

"Of course, Miss Weasley. We'll speak in my study."

I made the short trip down the hall in six long strides and held the door open for her. She took a seat in front of my desk, and I sat across from her on the other side. It felt unfamiliar. I almost never used this room, having little need for it.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"I feel a little like a traitor for telling you this," she started. "Actually, I feel a lot like a traitor, but you need to understand the big picture."

A traitor to whom? Was this about the Death Eaters?

"Hermione came to me," she continued. Hermione? Was she okay? I'd seen her just a moment before and she was well so that seemed unlikely… "She says you're not having sex with her."

I stared blankly at the young woman before me. Why would Hermione say such a thing? I had to think about it for a moment. When had we last made love?

It had been a while, now that I thought about it. But even if it was true, why hadn't she just come to me?

I hadn't even noticed. Keeping her alive was more important right now, and it wasn't like we didn't have any type of intimacy. I held her every night as she slept. We lived in the same house, ate meals together, and trained together. Had I been neglecting her?

I looked back at Ginny. She was right to tell me, but I wasn't entirely sure what to do now.

"It was not necessarily intentional. I have been otherwise occupied during the last week or two," I explained.

"I do realize that," she said, "but I thought that you would want to know. I think she had high expectations for the time that you would be able to spend together… intimately… when the Dark Lord fell, and she's a little disappointed."

"I'm quite sure that she didn't ask you to talk to me about it. Do you know why she didn't just tell me herself?"

"Yes, actually. She feels that it isn't her place. She seems to think that you need to do the initiating. So instead she asked me to ask you for a training session. She wanted the four of us to go back to the playroom in hopes that it might jog your memory."

I chuckled darkly. "Do you want to have a session with us?"

"Yes, but it can wait."

"Thank you for telling me, Miss Weasley. You did the right thing. How does next Friday work for you and Mr. Potter? I'd like a little time to prepare, and to right my relationship with Hermione."

"Next Friday," she agreed. "Have a good night, Sir."

"Miss Weasley?" She turned on her way out the door and looked at me. "I would prefer if we could keep this conversation between us for a few days."

"Of course." She closed the door softly behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

So Hermione was unwilling to ask me for sex. It was almost funny. This from the woman who had asked me to take her virginity one day early so as not to suffer through it in front of the Dark Lord. She wasn't shy. It wasn't that. Somehow I had given her the impression that she was to wait for me to meet her needs. It was true that I did most of the initiating, but it didn't have to be that way… not all of the time.

How long would it take her to finally speak up? If I let it go, what would her next move be? If Ginny hadn't confessed to me, and had simply asked for a session, according to plan, I would have simply given her a date and time. I wouldn't have realized that there was a deeper issue. This required some thought.

I ignored Hermione quite deliberately over the next day. I watched her as she watched Ginny. She was clearly waiting for an update from her friend, but Ginny deftly skirted around her. She was quite a Domme, that one. I might have expected her to take Hermione's side in all of this, but she understood effortlessly the importance of the power dynamic in our relationship. She knew that it was better in the long run for Hermione if I had all of the facts and not the concocted story that Hermione had wanted me to know.

I wanted Hermione to come to me, and I decided to wait her out.

She grew increasingly irritated as the hours passed. It was rather amusing to watch, in a way.

She looked at Ginny. She whispered to Harry. She looked everywhere but at me. Didn't she know that I had the answers she sought?

It went on longer than I expected. It took her three more full days.

She lay naked, curled on her side, facing away from me, in my bed. Her skin was soft and warm against me.

"Master?" she whispered. It was so soft that I almost didn't hear it.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I mean no disrespect, Sir, but have I done something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?" I deliberately bated her.

"It's just that we haven't… I mean…"

"Spit it out, girl."

"Why have you not touched me?" she asked.

"Why have you not asked?" I countered.

"If you had wanted me, you would have come to me. You always have before—"

I cut her off. "And that somehow makes you incapable of seeking what you desire?"

"I suppose not," she answered, "but it seemed inappropriate to ask that of you."

"Hermione, our relationship will only work if it is built on trust and open lines of communication. If you can't come to me when you feel that your needs aren't being met, then I have failed you in a very serious manner."

"But I do trust you," she protested. "It's just that you have always initiated everything, and I wasn't aware that I should—"

"That isn't true, Hermione. You initiated our very first encounter together. You were the one who first suggested that we include Harry and Ginny in our playroom. And, if I correctly recall, you were far from shy the last time we made love in that park. I have never refused you when you came to me with a need or even a request. Why have you suddenly decided that you can't communicate openly with me?"

There was a long pause as she gathered her thoughts. I wasn't sure what idea was working its way through her mind.

"I was afraid," she finally whispered.

"Afraid of what, love?"

"The Dark Lord gifted me to you, and no matter how much we've been though, a part of me is terrified that you'll leave me now that he is gone. What if I remind you of the bad things from your previous life? What if you want to start fresh without me? I _needed_ for you to reassure me, in the days following his destruction, and instead you dueled me to the point of exhaustion and ignored me in your bed. I shouldn't have needed to come to you. _You_ should have pursued me."

There it was. At least it was finally out in the open.

"Thank you, for finally being honest with me," I said. "It was not my intention to ignore you. I was… I _am_ concerned for your safety now more than ever. You need to realize that Tom Riddle was always just a wizard in my eyes, and many of the remaining Death Eaters are just as dangerous. My first priority since the battle has been to protect you. It never occurred to me that you might question our future together. I want you, Hermione. I will always want you, but I want most of all to know that you are safe. You should have come to me. I am not unreasonable."

"Of course not," she agreed. "I just don't know what I would do if you stopped loving me… stopped wanting me."

"I feel the same. You must believe that."

She rolled over to face me fully for the first time since we'd begun the conversation, and I could see the silent tears that pooled in her eyes.

"Show me," she whispered.


	42. Chapter 42

_A/N: Thanks so much for all of your reviews and love (especially those of you who faithfully review every chapter which really helps to make the story more popular). We're winding down to the end, should have it all up by tomorrow._

**Chapter 42**

**HPOV**

It was fantastic. _He _was fantastic. He wasted no time in pressing me flat onto my back and mounting my body with his. This was what I had so desperately been craving. He was all raw masculine power. His scent filled my nose, and his body my field of vision.

It was only a matter of minutes before I was crying out under him, my orgasm rushing out like a violent wind. He hadn't granted me permission, but I didn't care, and he didn't seem to care either. I clung to him even more desperately. He maintained his steady, unrelenting pace.

I went limp in his arms, accepting every inch of him with open willingness. He lifted my right leg up over his shoulder spreading me even wider and leaving me even more vulnerable to his powerful strokes. I came over and over again for him, giving him what his body demanded of me, until my whole being was alight with the sensation.

He growled possessively in the back of his throat, as he grew closer to his own release. His eyes were closed in concentration. His dark hair fell into his face and swayed with his rhythm. The muscles in his shoulders, chest, and abdomen flexed and contracted with his efforts.

He was so beautiful.

When it was over he held me to his chest. The sweat cooled on our bodies and I shivered, but I did not want to move. He reached for his wand intending to clear away the evidence of our lovemaking, but I protested. After days of neglect, I was not willing to have the sensations erased so quickly. He pulled me closer and covered us both with a warm blanket instead.

I was delighted to find him still in the bed with me when I woke. It was nearly ten o'clock. We'd slept in to an unheard of degree. As if reading my thoughts he answered my unspoken question. "I thought we deserved a lie in. We haven't taken much of a break since the battle."

"Thank you," I whispered. "It feels wonderful."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes, but more so reluctant to move." I shifted my legs and groaned. He'd really done a number on my aching legs–-not that I was complaining.

"I thought we might shower and then go out for breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Mmmm waffles," I mumbled. Visions of warm waffles drizzled in maple syrup came to mind. That might just be worth getting out of bed for.

He chuckled beside me. "And bacon."

We were showered and changed not twenty minutes later. We Apparated to Hogsmead where there was a recent addition to the restaurant scene. A pleasant, round-faced witch ran the establishment, which had quickly become known for the best breakfasts in the wizarding world. Even this late in the morning there was a line, and we had to wait. The hostess gave us a magical indicator that would light up to alert us when our table was ready.

Severus, as always was attracting the eyes of everyone in the room by simply being who he was, so we opted for taking a short walk until we were called. It was a bit of an adjustment for me to always be under scrutiny in this way. With Harry, I'd frequently found myself the center of attention, but that was mostly positive attention. Severus was regarded mostly with fear, even now.

His arm came around me, securely pulling me into his robes as we walked.

I looked around the open square. The last time that I had been here was the day that I was first abducted. Harry, Ron, and I had fought the Death Eaters right here and lost. That felt like such a long time ago, but in truth it had been less than a year. A very strange year.

"I'm finding it hard to wish that you'd never been abducted," Severus said, shattering my thoughts.

"I'm sorry?"

"I only mean that had the Dark Lord not taken you, we would have never wound up together."

I thought it over in my mind. It was an odd set of circumstances that brought us to this point. "Oh, I don't know. Some things are simply meant to be. I'd like to think that we'd have ended up together no matter what."

The light in Severus' hand began to flash signaling our turn at breakfast. We turned our backs on the square and accepted our table.

I dug into my waffle, and it was even better than I had fantasized. Even Severus managed to avoid the gazes of the other nosy patrons in order to enjoy his food.

"Hermione, you and I have a date. Friday evening."

I looked up startled. "Ginny asked you." It was half question and half statement.

"Yes."

"And she didn't tell me?"

"I asked her not to. Miss Weasley understands our relationship. She allowed me to have control of the situation."

His tone implied that Ginny understood our relationship better than I did. I didn't really believe that was true, but I nodded anyway. I didn't like it, but I understood. He felt that I'd been childish in not approaching him directly. Maybe I had.

"Should I do anything special?" I asked.

"No. I'll prepare everything, but I'd like to have a session alone with you before then."

I shifted in my seat at the thought, automatically bringing my legs together to try to quell the ache that rose there so quickly. I nodded my head in agreement. Oh, how I longed to be back under his capable command.

"Good. This afternoon. When we get back."

I swallowed thickly. I was no longer hungry.

**SPOV**

I couldn't keep my hands off of her. I had been so preoccupied with her safety that I hadn't even noticed when my own sexual needs had gone on the back burner. I wanted her, of course, but I'd lived for years with much less access to the females of my choosing, so it was not terribly difficult for me to go this long without sex. Last night had made me realize just how much I was missing.

When she was properly rested and fed, I took her to my playroom.

"I assume you remember your place," I taunted. She gracefully removed her clothes and knelt before me in naked perfection. "Over the bench."

Her obedience was as beautiful as her form. She draped herself over the bench in the faultless position, her muscles remembering precisely the angles and distances that I preferred.

She took what I gave her submissively and gratefully. I did not tie her, but she did not move. Unblindfolded, she rested quietly with her eyes closed but not squeezed shut. Never had I seen a submissive give so completely and so flawlessly. She was in every way my definition of perfection.

When her ass was a warm pink and there were gentle tears on her face, I lay down the harsh leather flogger in my hand and went to her. I stroked her tortured skin gently with my fingertips and soothed her with my words.

"Spread wider for me, love. I want to tongue your beautiful cunt."

Even from the subspace where she was, no doubt, lost in submission high above the pain in her body, she heard my command and responded. I buried my face between her legs and drank deeply of her. Her body did everything I asked of it. She came again and again for me as I lapped at her and squeezed her swollen, burning flesh.

Hermione was limp and malleable in my arms as I lifted her from the bench and covered her in her robe. She was resting quietly on my shoulder when I passed Miss Weasley in the hall on my way to my bedroom. The redhead gave me a soft smile, clearly trusting that everything was once again right with us, before she ducked out of my way and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

Alone in our room, I stripped my submissive naked, once again, and laid her gently on the bed. She stirred softly as I undressed myself. She was fully awake and reaching for me as I joined her.

"Haven't you had enough yet?" I teased as she pulled me down to her lips. I went willingly.

"Never," she whispered.

"I'm not sure I can be gentle. I want you so badly," I confessed.

"I don't want gentle," she answered. "I want _you_."

I exhausted the both of us only to wake and fill her again. The sun had fully set by the time we emerged, starving and sluggish. I made a mental note to myself: spend the entire day doing nothing but eating and fucking Hermione more often.

She pulled on yoga pants and one of my button down shirts. I went to the kitchen with her in only my boxers. And, that was why it was she that answered the door. The doorbell rang unexpectedly, but that wasn't uncommon lately. The other members of The Order were always dropping by with reports on this or that.

I didn't even look up at the door. I just went down the hall, away from the kitchen, to the bedroom for a pair of pants. I didn't even fucking look up at the door.

Her scream was cut short before it barely left her mouth. All I heard was half a squeak that was vaguely human. I was back to the kitchen in only a few seconds, but I wasn't fast enough.

Ginny and Harry hearing the clatter from the living room came running. Thank Merlin they had the presence of mind to react appropriately because I felt, for the first time, as if I had no control over my mind or body.

Peter Pettigrew was twitching in my doorway, and the love of my life was bleeding out on my kitchen floor.

There was pain, like I had never before experienced, in my chest. I knew that I was screaming, but I had no control over it. I fell to the floor in front of her. Her blood was warm and wet in my hands, against my chest.

My vision blurred, and all I saw was red.

I lost a few minutes, but my brain cleared significantly when Harry slapped me across the face. It was half the impact, and half the surprise that Harry Potter had actually hit me, that pulled me out of my shock.

I looked up in time to see Ginny force Pettigrew into his animagus form and freeze him in place. She stepped on him. Literally. Her spiky high-heeled shoe speared right through his hindquarters. My mouth fell open in stunned amazement.

Hermione coughed. Blood came up through her lips and bubbled against my bare chest. I looked down at her. Oh God.

Harry was pressing my wand into my hand, but it took me a few more seconds to understand what he wanted me to do with it.

"Heal her," he was screaming.

I tried. With more determination that I'd ever done anything in my life, I tried.

I didn't recognize the spell that he had used. The bloody fucking rat. The bleeding wouldn't stop. She was cut open all the way across the gut. It was a slow and miserable way to die. Why had I not killed him sooner? Why was he not at the very top of my list?

"St. Muggo's then," Harry was saying. "We have to get her to a mediwitch." That I understood. That made sense.

I lifted her into my arms and walked out the kitchen door, her blood leaving a dramatic trail along the walk. Later I wondered how I'd been able to Apparate, as upset as I was, but I managed it. I did not take her to St. Muggos, but instead to the healer I trusted above any other. I took her to Hogwarts.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

**SPOV**

I paced the hallway outside of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had kicked me out more than half an hour ago, when I'd become so involved that I'd actually hindered her progress. It had taken Remus Lupin, Minerva McGonogal, and Harry Potter in a combined effort to get me out the door, but once they'd succeeded they'd put up ample wards to keep me out for a while.

With a slightly clearer head, I realized that it was probably for the best. If there were something that I could do, they would let me know. I eventually sunk to the floor with my head in my hands and waited. That was where I was when they finally opened the doors to let me in.

"Severus?" I looked up into the distraught face of Ginny Weasley. That was not a good sign. "Madam Pomfrey has done all she can…"

I swallowed hard. Ginny was biting her bottom lip as if unsure how to continue.

"Tell me, Ginny. Please. Just get it out there," I whispered.

She slid down to the floor beside me and spoke softly. "She's asleep. The external bleeding has stopped but they can't figure out how to stop the internal bleeding in her intestines. The curse that he used isn't known–at least not by us. The collective 'best guess' is that one of the Death Eaters modified your Sectumsempra spell…"

Of course they did. Of course it would be my work that ultimately killed her. I had always known that.

"The bottom line is that she's dying. Slowly. Madam Pomfrey estimates that it will take about three days if left alone. Less, if we wake her to say goodbye."

I nodded my head. I heard, but I did not believe.

"Severus, we have three days. Hermione is our best researcher, but we aren't stupid. We can fix this, especially if the curse was based on your spell. You know it better than anyone. We'll find a cure for her," Ginny reassured me.

I was exhausted and completely overwhelmed. I wanted to agree with her, to grab onto the hope that she offered like a life preserver, but I had never been an optimist.

"I want to see her," I muttered. Ginny nodded, and I followed her into the room and past the privacy curtain.

Hermione was resting peacefully. They had cleaned her up, and from the outside it appeared as if nothing was wrong. She could have been sleeping in my bed at home. Brushing my fingertips across her forehead, I found new motivation. She looked almost as if she could be cured.

"We have to save her," I whispered, half question, half promise.

We had work to do, but I wasn't sure that I could leave her. I physically had to pry my fingers from the rails of her bed.

"We'll take her with us," Ginny said decidedly. "It's not as if she'll be any better here than at your house, and you'll be more productive with her in close range. Unless you think that the library here is more—"

"No," I interrupted. "My library at home is better for dark magic, and I can get access to Lucius'. We take her home."

It was a surprisingly easy endeavor. The only one who protested the move was the mediwitch herself, and although I was grateful to her for what she'd done, both for me over the years and for Hermione in the immediate sense, there was nothing more that she could do. I wanted my girl with me.

She was settled into my bed not more than an hour later. Tink was busy with coffee, excited to have something useful to do. Remus had gone back to The Order to give updates. Minerva stayed at Hogwarts promising to research with all of her resources. Harry, Ginny, and I settled in my library with stacks of books in front of us.

Ginny forced me to lie down around four in the morning. I only agreed because I was so desperate to have her in my arms again. I held her sleeplessly until the light filtered in through my bedroom window.

In the next stack of books, I came across my own-theapotions text that I had written. Hermione had asked me about it once, early in our relationship. She had wanted to read it. I was pretty sure that my answer had been "not today." I was wishing now that I'd let her have it. She could have whatever she wanted if it would stop the bleeding.

The book was unpublished. I'd had a contract to publish it two decades ago, but the publisher had canceled the agreement due to speculation that I was a Death Eater. That was right before the deaths of Lilly and James Potter. I never saw a dime, but the same publisher produced a book that was eerily similar not more than three months later. There was really nothing that I could do. I was sure that they had stolen my work, but I could not prove it. Even if I had been able to, I had little credibility with anyone but Albus at that point.

I opened the proof copy that still rested on a bottom bookshelf, alphabetically under my assumed name. I flipped through the potions, recalling them in my brain. I prayed desperately for an inspiration that might make a difference. They were all potions that I knew by heart. There was nothing here that could help me. On impulse I stood up and took the book with me to the bedroom.

I brushed Hermione's hair back from her forehead and kissed her gently. I wanted more than anything to wake her, but we needed all the time we could get. Her body was dying more slowly in her relaxed state.

I tucked my textbook under her limp arm. "I promise. You can read it when we wake you up," I whispered. "We've just got to get you better first. You hang on for me."

I went back to the library. I pursued one useless dead end after another and found nothing that seemed even a remote possibility. Frustrated with my lack of success, I took a path that was very unusual for me. Trial and error.

Propping her up in my lap, I cast healing spell after healing spell. When further tests proved that my efforts had been futile, I moved on to potions. Lupin showed up half an hour later and forced me to stop my insanity. I was more likely to poison her than cure her.

I agreed to lie down for a few more hours after that. I was becoming increasingly more desperate with each successive failure. I was torn between forcing my way through Lucius' entire library and waking Hermione up so that I could at least spend the last few hours with her conscious.

I pulled her limp form back against my body and cried softly into her hair in the darkness. I felt utterly helpless.

My eyes trailed over the dark shapes on the nightstand: an empty water glass, the book that Hermione had been reading, and my own useless book that she would never read. Of all the potions I'd cataloged, perfected, created not one could help her. Not one fucking spell in that book was worth a damn….

My thoughts trailed off. The answer wasn't in the book I'd written. It was in a spell that I'd deliberately excluded from my book.

I tossed off the blankets and dashed back to my library, waking the house in the process. Harry and Ginny were side-by-side sound asleep on my couch; a pile of books lay at their feet. They blinked sleepily into the light.

"The book of love potions. Where is it?" I demanded. I was met with two blank stares. "The useless fucking book of love potions. Have you seen it?"

Ginny finally caught wind of what I was trying to find and pulled the book I wanted out from under an untidy pile. I took it from her and nearly ripped the pages in an effort to reach the potion that I wanted.

The potion was a ridiculous farce that I had disregarded for decades. It was based on the concept that true love healed all. I'd always considered it bullshit, but now that I knew what love was, it didn't seem quite so ridiculous. Supposedly it only worked on witches and not wizards, which was always part of the reason that I had discounted it. The ingredients were simple and largely sexual: her virgin blood, my semen, tears, hair – essentially it was a representative potion. It symbolized the giving of one's body for another. It worked only with a virgin who was still in love with the one who had taken her virginity. Supposedly it had healing powers far beyond that of other potions. True love heals all.

It still seemed like a load of bullshit. The ingredients, in combination, from a chemical standpoint, would do nothing but smell bad. I knew that, in my head. The only way that this could possibly work was through the power of love. Albus had always believed in it, but not me.

I stared down at the page. I had nothing to lose.

I knew that Hermione had not used all of her virgin blood. It was here somewhere. Ginny and Harry set off to find it while I gathered everything else.

The semen proved to be harder than I would have thought. I was not exactly feeling impassioned, and I didn't dare risk contaminating a sample by using another potion to produce an erection. In the end, I retrieved Hermione's essay. Her inspired words about her desire to submit to me were enough to bring me to the climax that I needed. Merlin, _how I missed her._

When I returned to the lab with the final ingredient, Harry and Ginny had everything else prepared and ready on the table. I began brewing.

**HPOV**

It was dark, and I had a stomachache. I couldn't remember what had happened. I was in the kitchen with Severus… and then… nothing. Where was I now?

I stood and walked through the darkness. It seemed as if there was a clearing up ahead. It was as if I was passing through the forest, but there were no trees. How did I get outside?

"Hermione, how lovely to see you! Would you like a lemon drop?"

I turned, startled to face Professor Dumbledore. He'd seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.

"Professor!" I ran to him, intending to hug him, but found myself curiously on the other side as if I'd passed right through him.

He laughed. "Ahh, I'm afraid you can't do that just yet."

"Because we aren't the same?" I asked. "I'm not dead yet. Only in between. We're not in the same state."

"You always were as sharp as a tack. I look forward to the day that I'll have you with me full-time again, but that time is not yet. I believe you have some unfinished business. No?"

"Severus," I whispered. "Is he okay?"

"Ahh yes. Or he will be. Love is a powerful thing you know."

I nodded my agreement. It was a very powerful thing, and I loved Serverus with all of my heart.

"I suggest you get back to him," Professor Dumbledore said with a wink. "Will you tell him something for me?"

"Of course, Professor."

"Tell him 'Job well done'."

I considered him for a moment, expecting a longer message, but the Professor simply popped another candy into him mouth and disappeared into the woods. Cryptic as usual.

It was dark again, and then all of a sudden, I was back in the arms of my love.

"Severus?"

He answered me with his lips on mine. His tears were warm and wet upon my cheek.

"Don't cry," I soothed. "I'm here."

"I was sure I'd lost you."

I smiled gently, echoing the words he'd said to me so long ago when I'd nearly lost him. "I'm not that easy to kill."


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

**HPOV**

The potion that Severus had so fervently doubted turned out to be an excellent cure-all. He was still babying me, two days later, but within three hours of having taking it, I had been back to normal, no internal bleeding, and no side effects of any kind. Physically, at least, it was as if Peter Pettigrew had never knocked on the door that day. But, I would be answering the door a little more carefully from now on. It was a stupid thing to have done really.

Severus was still trying to determine what should be done with the rat in question. Ginny, quick as ever, had apparently speared him through the hindquarters with her shoe. She'd then healed him well enough that he wouldn't die, but not well enough that he could escape. She sealed him into what was essentially an unbreakable hamster ball. The spell that she used prevented him from changing form, and while they were in the hospital wing with me, Peter had been running his little legs off in Severus' kitchen sink.

While at Hogwarts, Ginny had run into an old friend of mine, and since they had a rat that needed babysitting, Crookshanks had gotten the job.

"I missed you, buddy," I whispered as I scratched his ears. The rat, still in the ball rolling around between my cat's paws, shot me what I was pretty sure was a disapproving scowl. "I'm sorry," I said to him, "but my lover has the market on scowling cornered. I'm not afraid of you." I gave him a little kick, just to get the ball rolling, and Crookshanks took off down the hallway after him.

"I'm glad to see you're exercising your sadistic side, love," a dark voice said, coming up from the basement. "Sure you won't just let me kill him?"

"He belongs in Azkaban."

"He belongs six-feet under."

"I'm all right, Severus. He can't hurt me now."

He pulled me into his arms and lifted me onto the kitchen table. I wrapped my legs around his waist.

"No one will ever hurt you again," he vowed. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I know, but I'm here now. Please stop fretting."

His hands found their way up my legs, pushing my robes out of the way. I was bare and ready for him, as always, and it seemed as if he was anxious to take advantage of it. I helped him with his trousers, and he easily found his way inside of me.

I moaned into his mouth as he fisted his hand in my hair and tugged it back. I loved his possession, his strength, his smell, Good Merlin, I loved this man.

"I am going to spend every day of the rest of my life protecting you, Hermione."

His kiss was so forceful that I couldn't respond, but he knew that I felt the same way. I never wanted to be separated from him, ever again.

He tilted my hips to just the right angle and drove into me hard. I sunk my nails into his shoulders and bit down on my lip. It was so good to have him like this, whole and well, and completely mine.

"Come for me, love. Let me feel you," he whispered. His quiet whisper in that moment did far more than any stimulant ever could. I kissed him hard, and let my body fall apart in his arms. He followed after me, breathing hard from the exertion.

We both looked up when we heard a throat clear in the doorway. Ginny and Harry stood at the top of the steps with smiles on their faces.

"Good to see you're feeling better," Ginny teased.

I blushed, but Severus just laughed. "We did promise them a play date," Severus reminded me.

"I remember."

Severus lowered my robes and zipped himself back up. "Miss Weasley? How's your schedule for tomorrow evening?"

"Tomorrow is good for us," Ginny answered.

I slid down from the kitchen table. "So, who wants lunch?"

**SPOV**

It was almost physically painful for me to leave her, but I was rational enough to realize that I couldn't stay by her side every moment of every day. I left after lunch and met with Remus about the open Order business.

There were two trials coming up in the next week, that would require my testimony, and there was still the question for what to do with Wormtail. I should have killed him before Hermione woke up, but now that she knew, I doubted that I would have the opportunity. She did not want to be avenged, and I did not want to upset her.

"You need to turn him over to The Order," Remus said. Apparently he agreed with Hermione.

"Come and get him this evening," I agreed. "I don't like it, but Azkaban will have to do for now. Know this though, if he ever leaves the walls of that prison, I will kill him without hesitation."

"I don't doubt that for a moment," Remus agreed.

When I left him, I apparated to Hogmeade. Before the incident with Peter, Hermione and I had been making up. For a period of time, she had felt as if I didn't want her. I had been so preoccupied with her safety that I had forgotten to express how deeply I needed her. I had been reminded of it again, while she lay bleeding in my arms. Never again would she question my love for her. It was time that she and everyone else knew it.

It didn't take me long to find what I was looking for. I paid for my purchases, satisfied that I'd gotten what I wanted, and made my way home to my love.

Remus showed up that evening with two Aurors to arrest Peter. Hermione's cat sulked at the prospect of losing his favorite toy, but Hermione herself seemed relieved to have him out of the house. He would spend the rest of his life rotting in jail, which was good enough for me. His animagus form did prevent us from having to see or speak to him again, and for that I was grateful.

Harry and Ginny went out to see a muggle movie, leaving us with the house to ourselves. I lit a fire in the library fireplace and opened a good bottle of wine. Hermione sat on the rug with me reading from my potions text.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Master?"

I reached for her, bringing her closer to me. I stroked her collar gently with the side of my thumb.

"What do you want out of life?"

"That's a terribly big question," she returned. She paused to gather her thoughts before answering. "I want to pass my N.E.W.T.s. I'd like to have a career someday. Maybe a family… eventually. I'd like to make a difference in the world. Do more traveling. There are a lot of things I'd like, but I've already gotten a lot of what I want. I have you." She turned and smiled at me and my heart leapt. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking about the future," I answered. "The trials will be over soon, and to be completely honest, I have no real plan for the next few years. There are things that I would like to do as well, but a part of me never really expected to live this long. I'm a little unsure as to what should come next."

"Well you don't have to decide everything right away. Do you? Not to be presumptuous, but if I'm correct you don't have any financial concerns, and without some of the former demands on your time, you could really do whatever you want. Maybe write another text book."

I laughed. "I have no desire to write another text book," I assured her.

"Well what do you want to do then? Go back to teaching?"

I shrugged. "I only know one thing for sure, Hermione, and that is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't want you to spend another second wondering how I feel about you." I looked into her wide brown eyes and was lost. "I can't promise you what the future might hold, but I do promise to love you every day of it, with everything that I am."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box that I'd picked up earlier in the day. "Hermione, will you marry me?"

She sat stunned for a moment, and I very nearly had a heart attack in that span of seconds, but then she launched herself at me in a flurry of kisses and tears, and somewhere in the confusion, I heard her answer, "yes."

I made love to her there on the rug with the soft firelight dancing on her skin and the tears still wet on her cheeks. She had never been more beautiful, and if I lived to be six hundred years old, I would never grow tired of looking at her.

When the fire grew cold, I carried her to our bed and had her again.

"Severus?" she asked, as she lay curled into my body, breathing gently.

"Mmmm?"

"You will still be my Dominant, right? Even though I'll be your wife?"

"Yes, love. I plan to have you back in my playroom tomorrow night, so you should probably enjoy the rare romance while you can."

She laughed and turned to face me. "Well it is a nice change of pace, but I've grown rather fond of my dark and brooding professor."

"I am not brooding."

"You most certainly are."

"I'm going to paddle your ass for your insubordination."

"Oh I certainly hope so," she teased.

I swatted her behind once, just to prove a point and then pulled her squirming body back against mine.

"I was thinking," she continued, "about our conversation earlier. About the future? And I obviously want to sit for my N.E.W.T.s, and have a wedding, but after that I don't see any great reason why we need to stay here. What would you think about taking an extended honeymoon? I was thinking that I might like to study a year abroad."

I rolled the idea over in my mind. I hadn't thought much past arresting the remaining Death Eaters and marrying the woman of my dreams. "I think it's worth considering. There is much of the world that I have never seen. You may pursue it if you like. Let me know what you turn up..."

My thoughts were interrupted as Harry and Ginny returned home through the kitchen. I listened while they reset the wards behind them and made their way to bed. If the giggling and romantic whispers were anything to judge by, they'd had a good night.

"Severus you really should remove that listening charm," Hermione chastised me. "It's a terrible invasion of privacy."

"I like to know what is going on in my own house," I argued.

"Should we go and tell them about our engagement?"

"No. Save it for our play date tomorrow evening, if you would. I'd like to tell them together."

"Okay," she agreed. "I'd also like to tell my parents. I suppose it will seem rather sudden as the last they knew you were my teacher."

"A lot has changed in a short period of time," I agreed. "How do you think they will react?"

"I think they will take it pretty well truthfully. Having a witch for a daughter has been a little difficult for them. They find the wizarding world uncomfortable at times, but it has adapted them to surprises. They trust me enough to let me make my own choices."

"Would you like to go and see them tomorrow? Is that too sudden?"

"I could call my mum in the morning and see what they are doing. This weekend maybe would be more appropriate."

I agreed. "We should get some sleep. It's late."

Hermione tucked her head down against my chest and I pulled her close.

"Goodnight, Master," she sighed.

"Goodnight, love."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

**HPOV**

"Yes, mum," I said into the muggle cell phone that I used exclusively to call home. I had to get half a kilometer away from Severus' house before it would work, so I was currently standing out in the woods with Severus a few feet away. "I'm bringing someone with me that I want you to meet."

Severus looked up as if trying to judge my mother's reaction through the phone.

"When should we pick you up at the train station?" my mother asked.

"We won't be taking the train. We'll just come to the house."

"Oh, a car then. You haven't gotten your license have you?"

"No, mum. We don't need a car. The person that I'm bringing, he's an adult wizard so he can…"

"Oh right, that poofing thing that you do. That noise always scares me. It reminds me of a gunshot."

"Yes, mum. So we'll just come to the back yard. Okay?"

"Okay. I am looking forward to seeing you. We've missed you, you know?"

"I miss you too, mum. See you Saturday."

I closed the phone and took Severus' offered arm. We walked back to the house in relative silence. I think we were both a little nervous about Saturday.

I had always been fairly close with my parents, but as I'd gotten older there was just more and more that I couldn't tell them. Being muggles they just didn't understand so much of what happened in the wizarding world. As time went by it became harder and harder for them to relate to the stories that I told them. I'd begun spending more of the holidays with my friends and less of the time with my parents.

They were fairly rational people, but even so they might not take too well to my recent engagement. Severus was after all my former teacher, nearly twice my age, and not particularly friendly. They would have trouble with the concept that wizards lived longer than muggles. The age difference didn't matter here as much as it would to them.

"I thought you said they were going to take it well?" Severus asked as if reading my mind.

"Well, they are my parents… they only want what's best for me. If they see that I'm happy…" I trailed off. I was trying to be optimistic.

"I will be on my best behavior."

"Thank you, Sir."

"At least if it goes really poorly, I'm pretty good with memory modification," he teased.

"Severus! You are not messing my parents' minds."

When we arrived back at the house I put in a few hours revising for my N.E.W.T.s while Severus did his daily brewing. Harry and Ginny had gone out, but I was looking forward to our date this evening. Thinking along those lines made it hard to concentrate.

A brown delivery owl tapped at the window, startling me out of my fantasy, and I went over to let him in. There was a fairly large package tied to his leg, and the poor thing looked exhausted. I gave him a bit of toast leftover from this morning's breakfast and a cup of water. He sat on the windowsill for a while, resting, before he hooted a gentle thank you and took off again.

I had sent away for information regarding University studies in both Africa and America. This was the American package. I sat at the table and reviewed the information. I had to admit that it was appealing. There was so much to see in the world.

About an hour later, Severus came up from the lab and took a look at the brochure over my shoulder.

"Have you decided that this is where you'd like to go?" he asked.

"It's only one possibility. I've requested information from several sources, not all of it has arrived yet."

"Mmmm. That's enough research for now. Come with me," he ordered.

I stood obediently and followed him to our bathroom. Our play date was scheduled to begin an hour from now, but I hadn't been given any information regarding the type of evening that it would be. This didn't surprise me. Master frequently preferred to keep me in suspense.

He undressed me slowly and then himself before pulling me into the warm shower. I relaxed and enjoyed the feel of his hands as he washed my hair and my body. When he was done, he ordered me to do the same, and I took my time running my hands through his long hair and over his lean body. He formed an erection that I really wanted to help him with, but he refused me saying that I would be worshiping his cock soon enough.

When he declared us acceptably clean, we went out into his bedroom.

"Kneel beside the bed," he commanded. I knelt and waited patiently while he dressed in black leather pants and a black shirt.

When he was finished, he sat on the bed with his knees on either side of my body. He called my hairbrush to him from across the room. Carefully separating my hair into two sections, he gave me two French braids. When he was finished he pinned them up into a crown around the back of my head.

With my hair safely out of the way he pulled me up over his lap. I felt the warmth of his hand over my upturned ass before I felt the sting that I knew was coming. He used the flat side of my hairbrush staring at the top of my ass and fanning out to the tops of my thighs. I melted into the soft leather of his pants as he warmed me up slowly.

Just when I was getting into it, he cast my hairbrush aside and called my engagement ring to him instead. Sitting me upright in his lap, he took my hand in his and slid the ring onto my finger for the second time. Its weight was already familiar and comfortable there. I was hoping that I wouldn't need to take it off again after tonight when we told Ginny and Harry.

"Are you ready to go downstairs?"

"Yes, Master."

He helped me up and led me downstairs by the hand. Ginny and Harry were already waiting in the playroom. Harry was naked, as I was, and he was kneeling appropriately on the floor in front of Ginny. I moved to take my place beside him, but Master held me to his side.

"Before we begin," he said firmly, "Hermione and I have an announcement to make."

Ginny spotted the ring on my finger and burst out with a cheer. She threw her arms around me and hugged me before Severus could get through his announcement. Harry, who had been obediently staring at the floor, couldn't resist the urge to look up.

"You're engaged!" Ginny shrieked.

A look of astonishment crossed Harry's face, before he smiled broadly. Ginny suddenly seemed to realize that I wasn't dressed and she was hugging me anyway, when Severus cleared his throat, and she stepped back from me quickly.

"Sorry, Severus," she said. "I am just so excited for the two of you."

"We are too," he answered diplomatically.

"Have you set a date?"

"Not yet. I don't plan to wait too long. We've plans to tell Hermione's parents this weekend. We'll see after that."

"That's fantastic," Harry added from the floor. "I'm really happy for you, Hermione. I know how much you love him."

I nodded, trying not to cry. Who'd have thought, before all of this began, that I would cry over my love for Severus Snape, but not over being spanked with a hairbrush? I let out a short laugh of relief. What a world.

When the congratulations had been said, and I'd once again composed myself, Master commanded me to take my place beside Harry. I knelt, facing Severus, with my hands behind my back. Harry had also resumed his proper position next to me. Severus leaned over and kissed my collar before moving away from me with Ginny at his side. The two of them spoke in hushed tones. I was pretty sure that they had set up most of the scene ahead of time, but they were reviewing specifics out of earshot.

He called me to him a moment later, and I crawled out into the middle of the floor. He had me stand, and he put a pair of leather cuffs around my wrists. Ginny called Harry a moment later and did the same; at least I think she did. It was difficult to see what was going on with my eyes trained obediently on Severus' black boots. It became even harder when Severus next applied a blindfold.

He cast a spell and the floor under my feet became uneven, as if the smooth hardwood had been replaced with a rocky hillside. Severus held my hips steady so that I would not fall as my arms were raised above my head. I was grateful to not be wearing heels, but I felt very off balance in the dark with my arms not quite fully extended above me.

I could hear Harry's breathing, the clicks of Ginny's heels against the floor, and I could feel the steady presence of my Master behind me. They worked mostly in silence, with Severus occasionally giving Ginny a gentle correction when necessary.

"Hermione," Severus said, getting my attention. "Harry has been strung immediately in front of you. Can you feel him?"

I stilled myself and focused. There was a warm presence a foot or two away. I could hear his breathing clearly.

"Yes, Master."

"You are approximately eighteen inches from each other on uneven ground. Your hands are bound but your feet are not. You are not permitted to touch each other. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

Harry answered a simple "Yes, Sir" at the same time.

The next thing I heard was the soft whistle of flogger. It struck me just below my left hip. I thought it was the braided suede one. I shifted my weight but fought hard to keep my feet firmly on the floor.

A second flogger made a similar but slightly different noise. I didn't feel anything, but Harry let out a breath close enough that I could feel the wind from it. I stepped back a few inches so that he wouldn't touch me, but as I moved, I was struck again on the other side, much harder.

This was impossible! I found myself dancing one step away from the sting of the flogger than one step away from Harry. They must have been circling us, because in the midst of it all I could hear their footfalls. The feel of the two floggers were very different. The second was braided horsehair, and Ginny's technique was different from Severus'. They both stung, but Ginny's would lay flatter against my ass, and it took longer. Severus had a quick sting that came out of nowhere, pinpointing a specific small area.

I tried to calm my breathing and plant my feet, which worked for a while, but then Master struck me hard on the inside of my thigh, and it surprised me. As I moved, I felt the heat of Harry's skin against my hip. I stumbled back, hoping that he hadn't seen, but of course he always saw everything.

"You disobedient girl," he growled, gripping my neck and pulling my head back to him. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him all over me. His hands squeezed the sore flesh on my thighs, as he bit my neck, and I cried out. He used his hand to give me ten hard swats half on my ass and half on my pussy.

He lowered his voice and whispered just loud enough for me to hear. "Your cunt is so wet. You love to be under my control don't you?"

"Yes, Master."

He stepped back from me momentarily and then my hands were lowered. He turned me around and then raised my hands again so that this time my back was to Harry. I heard Ginny, still in the room, but it was impossible for me to know what was happening.

I forgot all about them as Severus began to flog my front side. He used a less severe flogger on my breasts and the front of my thighs. Occasionally he would stop flogging and touch me instead. After a few minutes my nipples were hard and aching and my pussy was so wet that I could feel it all over my thighs. Against my own will I began begging. I needed to come so badly.

I was pretty sure that Harry had been taken down because I could no longer feel him behind me and the floor seemed to even out. This was confirmed when I heard Severus behind me. "Spread your legs, slut," he commanded.

I obeyed immediately.

"Come," he said. I wasn't sure that I could, even as desperate as I was, but then he struck me from behind, between the legs and the flogger caught me right against the clit. I screamed as an orgasm washed over me so violently that I wasn't sure I could remain standing.

Apparently, Severus wasn't sure either because he scooped me into him arms and unhooked me from the ceiling. I blinked into the light as he removed the blindfold. He laid me on my back over the leather whipping bench.

I heard the momentary rustle of fabric before he sunk his cock into me. I cried out and arched up under him, putting pressure on my aching thighs and breasts.

"Shhh, be a good girl and take it."

I quieted, biting my lip against the pain and sinking into the warmth of his body.

He turned my head with his hands, and I looked where he indicated. Through my tear blurred eyes I could make out Ginny, naked, save for her heels ridding Harry who was bound at the ankles and wrists to one of the flat wooden tables.

She was beautiful as she bounced up and down with her head thrown back and her long red hair brushing the tops of Harry's thighs. She had gagged him at some point, and the grunting that I could hear through his gag reminded me of my own struggles to hold back my orgasms as Master took his fill of me.

Master reclaimed my attention by capturing my mouth in a heated kiss. He fucked me brutally, and I shook in his arms. When he came, he held his cock deep inside of me, and I couldn't help but come around him.

I slipped into a hazy state, as I often did after a session, and he wrapped me in the bathrobe that I now thought of as my aftercare robe. He wished Ginny a good night and carried me to his bed.


	46. Chapter 46

_Author's note: All good things must come to an end. :) This is it. I wanted to add in another chapter about Tink, who kind of gets lost in the second half of this story, but I just never found a great place to add it. So if you are wondering, Tink gets reunited with her children and the whole elf family goes willingly to work at Hogwarts where they serve happily-ever-after. Thank you again for your continued support. If you're ever looking for me, you can find me at samanthablair dot com._

**Chapter 46**

**SPOV**

Saturday morning rolled around and I found myself dreading facing her parents more than facing the Dark Lord. They couldn't be that bad, could they? Only reasonable people could have raised such a brilliant and driven daughter. My fears were not quieted when I came up for breakfast and found Hermione picking at her eggs nervously. She gave me a tight-lipped smile before serving me.

"What time did you want to leave?" she asked.

"Whenever you are ready. When are they expecting us?"

"Lunch time. Around noon, I guess."

I glanced at the clock. "We'll go at 11:45. That gives us almost three hours."

"Is there brewing to be done?" She looked almost hopeful as if an hour or two in the lab might distract her.

"Not really." The need for potions had decreased rather dramatically with the war at an end. "But we could come up with something, if it would make you feel better."

She gave a nervous little laugh. "You read me so well. I would like a bit of a distraction."

"Do you really think that they will be upset with you?" I asked, although I wasn't sure I wanted the answer.

"No. Yes. I'm really not sure. They will want what is best for me, but they will think it's too soon, and that I'm too young, and…"

"That I'm too old and miserable," I finished for her. "All reactions we've gotten before."

"We weren't engaged before."

I grunted in agreement. "I don't wish to cause a divide between you and your parents, love."

"I want to be with you. I want you above everything else, so we'll just have to find a way to get them to accept it."

I swallowed down the rest of my tea and stood from the table. "Come, Hermione. Let me distract you." _Distract us both._

Fifteen minutes later, as she rode me in the bathtub with water splashing over the rim, sending a cascade of bubbles to the floor, I had completely forgotten that I had anything to be nervous about. When we were together the rest of the world ceased to matter every time.

"Please Severus," she begged. "I need more."

My hand moved up her back, gripping her shoulders and pulling her soft body down hard into my erection. "I know what you need," I growled in response. Pinning her arms behind her with my own. I held her firmly to my chest as I thrust my hips up into her.

Her legs, tight around my hips, twitched and squirmed as she fought to find release. "I fucking love it when you struggle," I whispered.

Emboldened by my words and on the verge of an orgasm, she fought harder against the strength in my arms, thrashing against my unrelenting cock until she worked herself over the edge and came with a loud cry.

Moved by the beauty of her passion, I captured her lips with mine and filled her with my seed.

She collapsed against me, and I lifted us both from the tub to dry. "Suitable distraction?" I teased.

"Mmm, very much so."

We fell into bed for a while after that, naked, neither of us having much desire to dress. Hermione told me stories of her childhood before Hogwarts, and I had to admit that I felt a good bit better about meeting her parents after hearing her positive memories. Her growing up was so different from my own. Her home had been full of love, toothbrushes, and homemade cookies, and mine was nothing like it.

I had never really been a part of a family before. The Slythern house was the closest that I'd come as a child. I'd never really felt the need to belong, but against my better judgment, I found myself hoping that Hermione's parents would accept me. I was going to marry their daughter either way, but I wanted their blessing if I could get it.

"They are going to love you, Severus," she finally whispered with a certainty that hadn't been there before. I wasn't so sure.

**HPOV**

"Mum?" I called, pushing the backdoor open. I was sure that they would have heard the thunder crack as we appeared in the back yard.

"Hermione!" My mother came around the corner and all at once I realized just how much I'd missed her. Being in her arms, smelling her homemade soup, and feeling the welcome of home was just overwhelming. "We missed you so much," she said.

"I missed you too."

I hugged my dad as well before realizing that it was time to make the awkward introduction.

"Mom, Dad," I said, deliberately hiding my hands behind my back. "Do you remember Severus?"

"Professor Snape, isn't it, honey?" my dad asked, reaching forward to shake his hand.

"I'm afraid that's a rather long story," Severus answered for me. "But, I've asked Hermionie to call me Severus, and I'd like it if you did the same."

"Hermione did say that she had something she wanted to discuss," my dad responded conservatively. He was perceptive, and knew that something was amiss. "Why don't we go into the kitchen where we'll be more comfortable?"

Now that I was home, in the warmth of mother's kitchen, I wasn't nearly so nervous. Why had I doubted my own parents? They loved me and had always been supportive. I wanted to have the good news out. I loved Severus, and my parents would learn to love him too. I waited until everything was on the table, and we were all seated before taking Severus' hand.

"Mum, Dad, I came home and brought Severus with me today because we have some good news to share."

"Oh my God, you're pregnant," my father blurted out. I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"No, Dad. Not pregnant, engaged to be married." I lifted my left hand from Severus' to show them the ring on my finger.

"Oh thank God."

"Married?" My mother choked out. "I'm very happy for you, dear, but isn't this a little sudden."

"Not really," I responded. "Like Severus said, it's a rather long story, but if you'll give me a minute, I'll tell it."

**SPOV**

Now I knew where Hermione got her talkative and inquisitive nature. Her parents never shut up. Between the three of them, it was less of a conversation and more of fast-paced, three-part lecture that never stopped. It would give the most patient of wizards a migraine.

I mostly kept to myself and let Hermione handle their reactions, trusting her to know them better than I did. She told the story well, omitting the really nasty parts, and making it all seem more romantic than it truly has been. Or was that how she really saw it? Perhaps her glasses were rosier than I thought. Mine certainly were not.

They asked an exuberant number of rapid-fire questions, but my brilliant little submissive had an answer for every one of them.

"So, Severus, how do you feel about all of this?" her mother asked, catching me off guard in the wild storm of conversation.

The following silence seemed to stun the whole table for a moment. "If I hadn't been there—been an active part of the last year of my own life—I wouldn't have believed it," I said slowly. "But, I love your daughter like I have never loved another human being, and I am looking forward to spending every day of the rest of my life making her happy."

Jean Granger burst into tears.

Truthfully, it was all a little overwhelming to me, but I made it through lunch and when her father asked me to step outside with him, I was mostly relieved. He was a quieter man without the influence of the women in his family.

He gave me the standard father speech about not hurting his little girl. His _or else _was interesting though. He threatened to tie me to his dentist chair and give me a root canal. I was genuinely intimidated. Muggle dentistry did not look pleasant.

"Kidding aside, Severus, I'm not sure that you're making the right decision. I don't know you well. I don't even live in the same world as you, and you certainly aren't what we pictured for Hermione. However, I learned around the time Hermione was four that once my girl made up her mind, it was nearly impossible to change it. She's got a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn't make this kind of a decision lightly," he said, looking me over from head to toe. I fought the urge to scowl.

"So, instead of standing in your way," he continued. "I'd rather offer my assistance. If Hermione wants to marry you, then I want you to be successful. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to come to us."

"I am grateful for your support," I responded. "I know that Hermione really wanted your approval, and so do I."

We stayed until suppertime and then promised to visit more frequently. It was a promise that I found myself wanting to keep. I'd never had parents who supported me, and if her parents want to fill that role for both of us, then maybe it was time I opened up to that idea.

Later that night as I untied Hermione from my bedposts and curled myself around her soft, naked form she asked me if her father had been hard on me.

"Not really," I responded. "You have a lovely family, little one. I'm looking forward to belonging with them." It was not a lie.

**HPOV**

I lay awake into the night, thinking about all of the people that I knew. Some approved of my relationship, some didn't. I wasn't sure that Ron and I would ever really be on speaking terms again, and that left a dull ache in my chest, but I had Harry's approval, Ginny's, and that of my parents. When push came to shove no one else really mattered.

I breathed deeply and snuggled further into my Master's arms. I felt so safe here, with him, so protected, so loved.

Focusing on my N.E.W.T.s would consume my life for another month, and I wanted to do well, but even the tests didn't seem so important any more. My mother had mentioned how much I'd grown over the last year, and while I hadn't stopped to think about it, it was certainly true. War and love had a way of challenging your priorities.

Wanting me to do well, Severus continued to drill me mercilessly on my test questions after the new of our engagement had quieted down. I found submitting to him, when he told me that it was time to stop studying and rest, was often difficult, but I learned to trust him. When the time came, I was well enough prepared. I passed with flying colors, and it seemed as if no one was surprised but me.

My application to the school in America was accepted—they were all accepted, actually—but I thought the dry heat and blue skies of the southwest would be a pleasant change. So after our small and intimate wedding in my parents' back yard, we left for a honeymoon that would carry us through the next three years and my undergraduate degree. They were years where we really learned to lean on each other. Far from our friends and family, we found strength in our relationship and developed the pattern for how we would survive when death and war were no longer our primary concerns.

Harry and Ginny visited us in America frequently and even lived there for a stretch of a few months before Ginny became pregnant with their first child. They are on the second pregnancy now, and I doubt they'll stop before they have a family to rival the original Weasley clan.

Tomorrow, we will return to where it all began. Severus and I have been invited to be the new Poisons Master and Charms Mistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Convincing Master to return to teaching dunderheads was a bit of a stretch, but secretly, I think he missed the sadism of terrifying the first years. I for one couldn't wait to see the bat of the dungeons back in action. He had always been sexy in black.


End file.
